After All This Time
by Romancing the Joes
Summary: COMPLETE! The war with Cobra has endedalong with Duke and Scarlett's relationship. Now, five years later, they are forced to reunite, only this time he is there to protect hernot his country. Chapter 10 & the Epilouge are now up!
1. Help From an Unlikely Source

Authors Notes: Hi Guys, this is Liz and Shana, now known as "Romancing the Joes!" I know, pretty cute, but that's what we are good at, romancing the Joes! hehe This is our first fic of what we hope, many. We both hope you enjoy our work, and PLEASE let us know. Romancingthejoes@yahoo.com 

Disclaimer: We own nothing but our imaginations.

 This story is set five years after the Joe team has been disbanded****

After All This Time Chapter One: Help From An Unlikely Source

Conrad Hauser, once known as Duke, had just settled in for a nice quiet night. The day had been rough; he and his team had been working overtime with the Secret Service. What he had been guaranteed would be an easy job for his trainees to tackle had turned into a colossal nightmare. In the end everything had worked out and if his trainees had received a little more 'on the job training' than they had been expecting, well, so much the better. He made his way to the library, the one room in this place that he had really made his own. He had taken a hand in the design of the whole place. He was after all, going to be living in this house for quite some time. But this room he had taken as his own. It was private and everyone who came into this house to train or whatever knew that and respected the boundary. That, and they knew if they crossed it he would beat the shit out of them.  The room was his private haven. He had a couch and a small fireplace for relaxing on cold nights, books to read or look at, he was becoming more and more partial to Tony Hillerman and other books set out in this wild country. Yes, this place was a relaxing haven but it was also somewhere he could go to brood in peace. That was his purpose as he entered the room and crossed to the far wall, a solid window. He had an ancient cedar desk; so massive he had once thought of swiping the desk free of it's content and stretching out for a nap. He'd bought a couch for this room after that. He slept on the couch, did his work in an office down the hall, and brooded in a mammoth leather chair that sat behind the desk.  He opened the glass door to the liquor cabinet and took out a bottle of Scotch. It was the one solid evidence he kept of his former relationship with Shauna O'Hara. She had developed in him an undying love for Scotch. He only indulged on a particularly harsh day, such as today, for whenever he drank the stuff memories came flooding back and he got sentimental. He hated sentimental. He hated her. But still, he poured himself a glass and sat down, his chair facing the great picture window looking out on the canyon below and waited for the memories to come. "Here we go." He muttered to himself as the sunset-no correction-this was the sunrise-sneaked up over the canyon. It was every shade of red-the color of her hair in the sunlight. "Red sky at morning, sailors take warning…" He had never seen a more brilliant red sunrise in all his time out west. He was headed for trouble, and wouldn't you know, trouble knocked on his front door. Duke decided to ignore it. He pulled his hat low over his head, covering his eyes, and figured he would just sit there and take a nap until the idiot who was knocking went away. Fifteen minutes later the idiot tapped on the picture window. Duke slowly pushed his hat back into the upright position and glared at the idiot. There was exactly six inches from the window ledge to the edge of the cliff. Nobody had ever wanted to talk to Duke so badly that they had risked falling off the ledge down sixty feet to the canyon floor. 

"Shit!" he cursed staring out at the idiot. Rodger Murray. His presence here could only mean one thing-she was in trouble. Not something he wanted to deal with. 

"You gonna let me in, Hauser?" 

"Give me one good reason." 

"She's in trouble." 

"Shit!" he was right-God but he did hate it when he was right about things like this. Duke jerked his head to the side indicating that Murray should meet him at the door. "Make my day a hell of a lot better if he just fell over." Not that that would happen. Murray was as agile as a jungle cat-he should be-he had trained with her father. 

Duke jerked the door open, "Well. You gonna stand there all blasted day or are you going to come in so we can get this over with." 

Murray walked inside and the two men stood in the hall eyeing each other for several seconds. They both nodded and Duke locked the door and gestured for Murray to follow him down the hall to his office. Duke turned on the computer and put his elbows on the desk, "What's the problem." 

Murray raised his eyebrow, "You have become more forward than you used to be. Interesting to note other changes-you've been busy-and you haven't been ranching cattle. " 

"The U.S. government's nice thick file says I ranch cattle. "

"I don't believe everything the government writes, especially in their 'nice thick files'." 

"So you're admitting that you've hacked into the government's files." 

"Would you expect anything less of me?" 

"No. You always were a damned good hacker-too good for my taste." 

"Yeah well, can't say I was all broke up when she decided she could do better." 

Duke stared, "What do you want from me?" 

Murray loosened his tie and pulled out several thick files and pushed them across the desk, "As I'm sure your government friends have told you, Shauna and I are partners in a small, elite, private security agency." 

Duke grunted. 

"Shauna runs the place, I train operatives-much like you do, and generally take point on the more high scale jobs when Shauna either doesn't want them or is too busy." 

"She's the brain, you're the brawn. Got it. Next chapter?" 

"Recently Shauna took a job that turned sour. The guy she was protecting decided to change sides at the last minute, leading her on a wild goose chase for several days until she found his hideout. She brought the guy in –turned him over to the international boys and figured everything was hunky-dory." 

"Except now the other boys want a chance to play." 

"They weren't exactly friendly when she crashed their hideout. The guy was friends with a bunch of radicals-you know-'we're gonna take over the world' types. Nothing she hasn't handled before." 

"But for some reason this time its different and she can't shake them." 

Murray scowled, "Listen-she's been under a lot of stress lately. Normally she could handle this on her own but she's in a unique position right now. Those guys don't play nice and I want her out." 

"What's the unique position that makes her vulnerable?" 

"I'm not a liberty to say. Just that she's involved with some big league international players and if something happened to her the whole thing would go worse than bad and we'd have World War Three going on in a big way." 

"Four." Duke reminded him softly of the war against Cobra that had ended only five years before. Just before they had broken up and he had come out here to rebuild his life. 

Rodger nodded solemnly. "Will you help her?"

"What do you need?" 

"I need a place for her to get lost in-and someone to make sure she stays safely lost for a good little while." 

"How long?" 

"A month." 

Duke cursed, he'd been doing a good deal of that since Murray showed up, "That long?" 

"Give or take a few." 

"A few what?" 

"Months." 

"What-exactly-are you planning on doing in this time?" 

"Me? I'm gonna track down and dispose of this renegade terrorist group that wants to turn my cousin into shish kebab all the while keeping the international deal she was working on a float and all cruise members happy."

Duke sat there for a few moments sifting through the files Murray had given him. He knew Murray wouldn't be here if it weren't important-and truth be told he was about the only one that she wouldn't turn to in time of need. No one would suspect. He didn't want the job-lord knew the last thing he wanted to do was pull twenty-four/seven guard duty for his ex-fiancé. But-push come to shove-there was no one else and even if he hated the woman to the depths of his soul he didn't want to see her come to harm. 

"I'll do it." He said it so softly Rodger wasn't quite sure he'd heard right.  He was about to ask why but something in the man's posture warned him against it. 

"When and where? I'd like to move on this as soon as we can."

Duke removed a sheet of plain white paper from the fax and drew a rough map. He wrote latitude and longitude as well. "Have a helicopter with a man you trust drop her in this canyon day after tomorrow. I'll meet the chopper with horses. We'll ride back from there-it will take half a day to get the horses there by trailer-I'll get on that when you leave. It will take us several days on horseback to get back here. That will give you plenty of time to cover her tracks. I'll pack everything she'll need. Just get her to that canyon by noon on the day after tomorrow. I'll take it from there." 

Rodger took that as his cue to leave. Duke's words caught him at the office door, the men eyed each other, concern written across both their faces, "Murray-just make sure you cover your tracks well. There won't be room for mistakes on this one. Too much is at stake." 

Rodger nodded and saw himself out.


	2. The Direct Approach

Fic: After All This Time (2/?)

Archives: Here, fanfiction.net for now

Feedback: Yes! Send to: romancingthejoes@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: We own nothing but our imaginations.

The Direct Approach

Rodger arrived back at their island office with a sense of purpose. Duke had agreed to help. Now, all he had to do was get Shauna to Duke and she would be safe-Duke would make sure of that. Rodger wasn't ever worried about how to get her there.  The direct approach was always best. There she was-pacing along the dock, talking into her cell phone, incessantly playing with the necklace she habitually wore-a sure sign she was nervous. Oh, well. He was about to solve that.  Rodger dropped to his knees, wrapping a rope tautly across her legs, knocking her over with an "Oomph Rodger! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rodger wasted no time in tying her hands behind her back, dumping her cell phone in the bay, and then putting a gag in his cursing cousin's mouth. "It's all for the best, Baby Cakes. Don't worry, you'll be in good hands." 

Cougar, one their agents, helped Rodger secure her in the chopper. Shauna's eyes flashed at both men. "Damn, boss, she's madder than I've ever seen her, you sure this is a good idea?" 

"Yeah, Cougar, it's the only idea. Blindfold her before you lift off-and be careful. Make sure no one follows you. Contact me after you make the drop." 

"Got it." Cougar slammed the chopper door and checked Shauna's restraints. "Just checking to make sure you're in there good and tight. It's for my benefit as well as yours-if you get loose you're likely to skin me alive just for agreeing to take you." Cougar shook his head, "And I'd kinda like to keep my skin a bit longer." 

Several hours and two time zones later Cougar spotted the canyon. He made the designated fly by and then set the chopper down on the rocky floor to help Shauna out of her seat. Well, man-handled was more like it. She didn't know where she was but she sure as hell didn't like being dragged around like a trussed up sack of potatoes. Cougar opened the side door, "Watch that first step now, it can be a doozy." He hadn't really expected her to listen. She dropped to the canyon floor making a dust cloud that settled around her like a Christmas wreath. Cougar nodded once to the man on horseback, hidden in the shadows with his hat pulled low down over his eyes and then went back to the chopper controls. Cougar lifted off and made his way back to the island. 

Shauna landed flat on her ass in the hard dirt. She made a frustrated cry of outrage directed to everyone within hearing distance. She wasted no time at all getting to work on her bindings. She knew she wasn't alone-she could smell a horse-perhaps several of them. And something else...something that didn't seem to fit in this environment. Whatever that something was she wanted to be prepared when she met it. That meant getting her hands loose and this damn blindfold out of the way. Thank god she had worn hair sticks today. She had been caught full force by some sentimental notion of him. This morning she had silently berated herself for holding on to the things but now she was grateful she had. 

Conrad Hauser nudged his horse forward out of the shadows. He wanted to take a good long look at her-see what had changed, what had stayed the same. He started from the ground up, telling himself it would be easier to avoid her face as long as he could. Dirt now stained what he was sure had been an immaculately pressed burgandy pantsuit. She was wearing strappy little sandles that mached her suit. He knew, without a doubt, that the sandles would be heeled and when she stood up they would be nearly the same height. Was it a comfort to know some things never changed? He wondered, shaking his head to clear those unwanted thoughts. Shauna started working on the rope binding her hands together, he watched in fascination as her suit jacket parted with her struggles revealing a thin white camisole. 'Good Lord.' He thought, his mouth going dry, 'She's not wearing anything else under that jacket.' He could see the subtle outline of her breasts and gave himself a mental shake. Desire and a fierce longing coursed though him to jump off his horse and take her in his arms. If her reaction to him turned out to be anything like his reaction to her-she wouldn't mind. He dragged his eyes up past her breasts but stopped just below her face. He wasn't ready for that yet. But abruptly the choice was taken from him, with a cry of triumph, her hands came free, quickly untying the rope at her feet, and jerking the gag and blindfold off. Those eyes…. he was struck deaf, dumb, and blind. She was more beautiful than he remembered…was such a thing possible?

Triumph raced through her blood as she jerked the blindfold off and jerked that disgusting gag out of her mouth. "Finally!" she shook her head, sending more tendrils down to join the ones she had carefully pulled down that morning. She stood up gingerly, sore after being stuck in one position for so many hours. She rubbed her hands and then tilted her head back, massaging her stiff neck. 

In that moment Duke forgot to breath. He was thankful she wasn't yet paying attention to her surroundings, if she had been; her first sight of him in five years would be of his mouth hanging open as he ogled her. He assumed that she would take exception to that now. She hadn't once before…but then once before they had shared a bed and what had been good for the goose…well best not to let his thoughts run in that direction yet. He groaned…too late. Innocently she swung her head left and right, sending cascades of soft red curls tumbling down her around her shoulders. OH, God…that hair. Every color of the sunset…every color of the sunrise. He had gloried in that mane of hair often enough from sunset to sunrise. She had teased him with that mane…. It had worked then and it sure as hell worked now. The sun glinted off two hair sticks as they tumbled down. "No…" he cried softly…"They couldn't be…. could they?" they looked so like the pair he had bought her…once long ago when their relationship had turned from simple to complex, when they had started sharing one bed…. his bed. His mind was jerked from that path as her hands went up to massage her neck, straining her breasts against that camisole. "God help me…" he realized in the instant her hands paused that he had uttered that plea loud enough for her to hear him. 

Shauna paused in her ministrations, 'that voice…. thick and rough turning to honey…. No! Rodger wouldn't be that cruel. It couldn't be him! But that voice…. it had to be.' And she was no indifferent to it now than she had been five years ago. "Duke?" she trembled his name, more than half afraid to open her eyes. She had no choice however, so she opened her eyes, and looked right into his. 

Deep blue eyes met deeper blue eyes. Breath hitched and pulses raced. She watched, fascinated, as he slid slowly down from the saddle, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. God but he was gorgeous. Those boots added a couple inches of height and that hat! The damn thing cast shadows over his face-the part of him she was both most eager and most reluctant to view. He turned around slowly, as if afraid of what he would find when he looked into her eyes again. He always could see straight through to her soul. But then she could look in his and find his own soul waiting for her. Scarred boots, he was used to being outdoors-something she wasn't anymore, legs encased in well-worn jeans that fit him…well in that moment she wished she were those jeans. Oh, yeah…her tongue darted out to lick her lips once again; he was no more indifferent to her than she was to him. His chest was broader than the last time she had seen him, arms stronger, his face…. dear sweet God…. she didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, slap him or kiss him senseless, knock him down or jump him…In the end her feet were rooted to this spot and movement was up to him. 

     Duke turned to face her, not sure exactly what to do or say, he settled for the obvious, "Shauna…um…." he cleared his throat, barely able to get past her name, it sounded so sweet after all this time, "…are you…ah…are you all right?"  

     All she could do for the longest time was stare at him, she knew his lips were moving, that he was saying something, asking her a question, but it took her a few moments to realize what he had asked her, and it took her an even longer moment to form a response. 'Are you okay?' 'What kind of a question was that? She was feeling a thousand different things…and she didn't know if she was okay or not.' In the end all she knew was that she was damned uncomfortable standing here like this, in the middle of no where, not knowing what was going on, and felt he needed to at least understand that if not feel uncomfortable himself, "No thanks to some people, but yeah, I'm fine." She couldn't bear standing there, looking at him, but not touching him, so she dropped to her knees and started looking for her hair sticks. 

     Duke figured she would say something like that, he had always been the first to back down in an argument, or calm down at the least, he supposed it was that Irish temper of hers so he extended his hand to help her up, and realizing what she had in her hands, said the first thing that had come to his mind, "Aren't those my hair sticks?"

     She waved his hand away and replied, "I thought they were MY hair sticks, and thank you...but I can take care of myself." 

     He quietly chuckled to himself, "always the independent woman!"

     Her eyes flashed at that and he was irritated that she wouldn't take his hand, he mumbled, "Well, I guess that Irish temper of yours hasn't changed." 

     "I heard that!" She was glad she hadn't extended her hand if this was how he was going to treat her, "And I see you, Conrad Hauser, still need to learn some manners!" 

     "Manners? Me? Lady you've got some nerve!" 

     "Me? You think I've got nerve? And you calling me names under your breath!" 

     "I wasn't calling you names! I was commenting on your temper-which you do still have. It wouldn't hurt you for once to just let things lie and accept my hand. It has been five years after all and you don't have to do everything by yourself." 

      She crossed her arms and started tapping her feet, "You're loving this aren't you? Admit it Hauser, what did they pay you...or was it enough for you to see me in this kind of predicament.... kidnapped, bound and gagged, deserted...."

     "Damnit, Shauna!, will you calm down...we have a lot of ground to cover today and arguing like this isn't gonna get us there any faster"

     "Always the one to back down.... yeah, you're right, some things don't change!"

     He couldn't believe this! Five years pass and this is how she treats him! Like some common criminal! "Listen Lady, I'm saving your ass by letting you come here! The least you could do is to show some respect! We are going to be stuck with each other for awhile!" 

      Eyes flashing, Shauna turned around, as if to gather her things, then she realized she had nothing but the shirt on her back, and his damn hair sticks! She looked him straight in the eye, "Where to Sgt. Hauser?"

      Her temper was biting, and all he should feel like doing would be to give as good as he got. Instead, all he could think of was how much he wanted her. 'God, what is it with that woman...she can be the biggest smart ass in the world, but I can't get enough of her." And with those thoughts running through his mind.... he gestured towards the waiting horses, "Remember how to ride?" 

     She gave him a glare, "I think I can manage." She walked up to the horse, and giving him a pointed look, mounted in one smooth motion, even in heels. 

      He returned her glare with one of his own, "Just checking, I wouldn't want you to break a nail or anything!"

     She sighed and looked away, gathering the reins in her hands and silently wishing for gloves, her hands weren't used to this kind of work any more. 'God, he has to be the only man that would ever hand it right back to me!' Not that she would admit it but it was one of the things that initially attracted her to him. "Shall we be going?"

     Duke shook his head, chuckling to himself and began to lead the way.


	3. Distractions

Okay-this chapter is dedicated to all the people who have been asking Shana where the next chapter is (nicely-thank you for your patience) and for all the people who have been making threats on our lives if we don't get the next chapter out SOON! lol (your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated).  
  
Chapter 3 Distractions  
  
They passed the time in silence, the sun climbing ever higher. If it weren't so necessary to get as much distance between them and the landing site as possible he wouldn't have them traveling in the noon day heat. Duke let go of the reigns momentarily and guided the horse with his legs while he worked the buttons loose on his shirt and pulled a water bottle out of his saddlebag. He drank a few sips and poured the rest over his head, plastering his already sweat soaked shirt to his body. He'd had enough. The pond was less than an hour out of the way, he would lead the way there and they could make camp for the night. He didn't risk starting a fire so they would have to make do with rations. He turned around to explain that the terrain would be rough for a while and the sight that awaited him left his mouth dry. Shauna had taken her jacket off and had her hair back up off her neck. Her eyes were closed allowing him the opportunity to look his fill. It was a miracle the horse didn't fall down over the terrain that was getting rougher by the moment. All she had underneath that burgundy suit jacket was that thin white camisole. It was as drenched with sweat as his own shirt. He could see straight through it. He whipped his head back around so fast he was sure he'd wake up with whip lash, "Did I really see that? Could they be even more perfect than I remembered?" he shook his head to clear it, "The lake. " he managed in a strangled voice.  
  
"Hmmm? Say something Duke?" she answered, not bothering to open her eyes  
  
He cleared his throat, "Um...there's a lake about an hour away. It's rough going but it will give us a chance to ah.cool off."  
  
"That's fine." She continued to ride with her eyes close, not noticing Duke's distraction.  
  
The next time she opened them he was shrugging off his shirt, 'What is he doing?' that was her last coherent thought until they reached the lake and then all she could think of was stripping bare and taking a nice deep dive.  
  
Finally Duke led the way up through the last pass; on the other side a cystal blue lake sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight. She had never seen a more welcome sight.  
  
Duke reined his horse in to wait for her, "There's the lake. I've got rations so I'd rather not risk a fire but the lake is fresh and clean, good for swimming, drinking, cooking, you name it." He gestured to a rocky wall a good ways down towards the lake. "We'll make camp in a cave on the canyon floor. It'll be large enough for the horses and us."  
  
Shauna followed Duke down to the lake. When he dismounted she took it as a signal that they had stopped riding for the day, something she was infinitely pleased about. They had horses on the island but she worked so much she rarely got the chance to ride. She left her horse grazing and slipped off her shoes. The man had said the lake was a good place to cool off and she intended to do just that. Leaving her jacket on top of the saddle she picked her way to the edge of the lake and stripped off her pants and shoes, leaving them lying on top of a bush. She waded into the water until her waist was covered, and then, with a graceful dive, bespeaking many hours spent in the water, she disappeared under the surface of the lake and swam until she needed to come up for air. By then she was blissfully cool and was content just to float on her back for as long as she could.  
  
Duke couldn't believe his eyes. One minute she was right behind him, stretching her tired muscles after the long ride; when he turned around to ask if she needed help untacking her horse she was gone. His gaze found her stripped of all but white lacy panties and that damned camisole. She was waist deep in the water before she arched her back and dove gracefully beneath the lake's shimmering surface. The long, hot, ride up here, with the knowledge that she was practically topless just behind him was nothing to compare to the heat shooting throughout his body at that very moment. He couldn't stand it another minute. Yes, the horses needed tending to, and yes camp needed to be set up before it was dark but all that could wait. All that would have to wait. He had to cool down-and fast before he made an idiot out of himself in front of her.  
  
He left his boots and hat next to his horse and made his way to the water's edge. She was far enough away that if she turned around she wouldn't immediately notice his problem. Just the same, he untucked his shirt and let it hang unbuttoned around him. It didn't do much to cover his problem but it was better than nothing.  
  
Floating was nice but it let her mind wander. 'What is he up to?' Curiosity got the better of her and she turned around in the water to find him standing at the edge of the lake. She felt a momentary stab of guilt as she noticed how hot and tired he looked. She still couldn't get used to the idea of Duke done up as a cowboy. That thought lightened her mood, "Hey!" she called to get his attention, "Sorry.I was hot. This is the only way I could think of to cool off. You okay? You look a little off."  
  
'Quick man, she caught you looking think of an excuse!' Luckily he had one waiting for him, "I could use some help with the horses. We really should set camp up before it gets dark. "  
  
"Okay. Give me just a minute." She swam a few feet before her feet could touch bottom with her head out of the water. She slowly began to make her way to Duke.  
  
"Oh, God, Shauna." Thank God she was still far enough away that she couldn't hear his pleas. There was no way she knew what she was doing-she wouldn't have been doing if she had known. But still.. she was taking long, slow, sultry steps out of the lake. With each step more and more of her became visible to his longing gaze. The water reached her waist and he forgot to breathe. She was slicking her hair back, water dripping off every curve as he watched mesmerized-powerless to do anything other than stare. Her knees broke thought the water and there she was-walking towards him in nothing but a transparent white camisole and matching white lacy thongs!!! "Perfect." He mumbled to himself, "That's what you are-you're perfect there's just no other word. And if you get any closer I am going to embarrass both of us." This required immediate action. He had come down here to cool off and if he thought he needed it before he sure as hell needed it now. He stripped off his unbuttoned shirt and waded in to meet her. 'No. I'm here to cool off. I'm not coming in to join her-the fact that she is standing there half naked is inconsequential. She's off limits.'  
  
Shauna stopped dead in her tracks when Duke stripped off that shirt. "Oh!" 'My God, Conrad! If you were a blond god before I sure as hell wanna know what that makes you now.' He was getting in the water. She berated herself for still being hopelessly attracted to him as she turned the situation over in her mind and considered options. "Oh, God. This is not happening! I am not getting hot and bothered over that man! Not that man- not now!"  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" she called to him  
  
He was close enough now that he didn't have to shout to be heard, "I decided you were right-the horses can wait. It's too damned hot."  
  
There were two options for her to take. The first was unacceptable- she would not make a complete and utter fool out of herself by jumping in his arms and kissing him senseless. The only other option she could take was to get madder than hell and put some much needed distance between them. She remembered then in a blinding flash that he was wading in blue jeans. There was no way they would dry anytime soon-even in this heat. He wasn't the type to walk around half naked-or he didn't used to be the type-not unless he was doing it on purpose to get a reaction out of her. She licked her lips remembering a scene from long ago, where he had gotten out of there bed in the middle of the night, she supposed to get a drink or something mundane like that, she must have made a sound of approval because he had turned around and all it had taken was one look at her passion glazed eyes and he had jumped right back in bed and had stayed there. But no-jerking her mind back to the present. He had extra clothes with him. And if he had brought extra clothes for himself then he had brought extra clothes for her. That meant that she was standing here, and one more step and her attraction to him would be blatantly obvious-especially to him.  
  
He didn't know what he did but one minute he was walking towards her and another minute he was wiping water out of his eyes. She was furious with him about something, "What? !"  
  
"You bastard! You packed an extra set of clothes for me didn't you!?"  
  
"Well.yeah. I figured you wouldn't want to be riding in the same clothes day after day for over a week."  
  
"Well if I had known I had extra clothes I wouldn't be standing here half naked! Why the hell didn't you tell me?" She went tearing past him and didn't stop until she reached the shore. He had to turn around to watch her.  
  
That did it, he was hot, tired, and annoyed beyond all hope at his attraction for this woman, "Well maybe I like seeing you half naked!" That comment earned him a sharp, heeled shoe in the face. Her aim was perfect; he'd have a bruise for a month. He chucked the shoe back to shore where she was running back up to the horses, pants and one shoe in hand.  
  
"Damn!" he slapped the water with his hand. The last thing he needed or wanted was to have her temper in full swing-directed at him. It would make his job of protecting her that much more difficult. Well-he was already wet so he may as well enjoy a quick swim and give her a few minutes to cool off.  
  
Shauna desperately tried to keep hold of her anger but all she could think about was how good he had looked in those wet jeans. "Damn, Damn, and Double Damn! Why does he still have to affect me like this! Why can't I look at him and not go weak at the knees!" She leaned across the saddle she was suppose to be taking off and fought tears of longing. She took a deep breath to calm herself down and noticed a sharp pressure midway down her breastbone. With a gasp she felt at the back of her neck for the necklace that he hadn't yet noticed. She took it out from beneath the camisole and checked just to be sure the ring was still there. It was.  
  
She sighed then with relief and frustration. She didn't know what she would do if she lost the ring but God help them both if he knew she still had it. If he knew she had gone back for it.. for all he knew the diamond engagement ring he had given her was lost someplace in his quarters on base. The last time he had seen it had been the day she flung it at his head the day they called the engagement off. The day they called their love off. If you could do such a thing, if love could so easily be turned on and off. She had berated herself for a week after sneaking back to get the ring. She shouldn't have cared-not then and certainly not now. But she did and that was why she had gone back for the ring. That was why, on the rare occasion she didn't have the ring on her necklace it was in a safe back on the island. "It doesn't matter what he looks like. It doesn't matter what he is like now period. You have to put enough distance between the two of you so you don't get hurt again. You can start by putting some dry clothes on and forgetting about why you kept the damn ring."  
  
She found that harder to do as she rummaged through the saddlebag draped across her horse. His bags must hold the food and whatever else they needed because all her bags held on both sides were clothes. That, one water bottle, which she had found earlier that day while he hadn't been looking, and one gun with ammo. The first side she dug through had his clothes; an extra pair of well-worn jeans, a few changes of briefs, and one extra shirt. The clothes smelled like him. It was a pleasing mixture of both his old smell and his new smell. She could still smell the bite of gunpowder, which she knew would have come from the rifle he carried next to his saddlebag. The rest of the scent was made up of Duke, saddle soap, and the western outdoors. She stole a quick glance over the horse to make sure he was far enough away that he wouldn't catch her breathing in the scent of him off his clothes. Only a few seconds passed before she came to her senses and realized what she was doing. This man was supposed to be the enemy! Down to business, she needed to be dry and dressed before he got out of the lake.  
  
She opened the other side of the saddlebag and found clothing for herself. He had packed a good deal more for her than he had packed for himself. As she rummaged through the bag it was unnerving for her to realize how well the man still knew her after so long. There were five shirts, all long sleeved button-ups in varying colors and plaids. Mostly the shades of green she still favored with one brown and one dark red. There were also tank tops to go under the shirts. 'Good, that'll allow me to travel comfortably and decently.' She began to wonder just how long they were going to be gone. Underwear, bras, socks, and a pair of sweat pants, which she assumed were for sleeping in, were buried underneath all the carefully folded clothes. There was also a package of ponytail bands and a bottle of sunscreen she wished she had found earlier, somehow all crammed into the deep pocket. She once again opened the side holding his clothes and took a more careful look. There was a pair of new boots in her size, several bandanas, one pair of new jeans, again in her size, and, a single blanket. She wondered if his bedroll contained a blanket or if he would even need it-he always had put off an amazing amount of body heat.  
  
She changed her clothes, sliding on the new jeans, and boots, which would both need some serious breaking in, socks, a tank, and, finally a forest green shirt. She rolled the sleeves up and went to check his saddlebag once again just in case she missed something. She found nothing in the saddlebag but saw just the hint of a white piece of paper slide between the blanket and saddle. At this point she was flat out snooping but she didn't care. She meant to ask him over dinner, which looked like a rather unappetizing ordeal, what the hell she was doing out here. Not that she was expecting the man to tell her-not when Rodger hadn't. But what she found wasn't a map, and it wasn't a clue as to her current predicament, it was a carefully folded photograph, like one you would take with one of those little cameras and get processed at a pharmacy or someplace like that. Did she dare to open it? 'What if it's a picture of some woman? Well, it has been five years, and even if you haven't found anyone who so much as compared to the man, that doesn't mean he hasn't found someone new. ' She took a deep breath, "Well, curiosity killed the cat but I was never one to just let something lie."  
  
She checked again to see if Duke was still swimming, he was making his way out now, if she was going to look, it would have to be now and it would have to be a quick look. She yanked the picture out of its hiding place and opened it. She wasn't prepared for the shock it gave her. The photo was of some woman-it was her! A candid shot of them together, must have been at their engagement party at the Joe base. She was half turned in his lap, one arm slid up to hook around his head, angling his mouth up for a kiss. The smiles on their faces would have put the sun to shame. His footsteps were getting closer; she would have to ponder her discovery later. She slid the picture back where she found it and made a big show of rummaging through the food bag.  
  
"Didn't you bring anything decent to eat? All I can find are military rations."  
  
"Sorry, princess, that's all I've got."  
  
She scowled at him, "Surely you could hunt something or at the very least catch some fish."  
  
"No. I told you before-it's too risky to light a fire."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't want anyone to know we're here. Now, the horses have suffered long enough, if you don't remember how to unsaddle yours-or don't want to, you can check that cave right there for unwanted visitors of the four legged kind."  
  
"Four legged?"  
  
"Or more." he grinned at her, slicking water off his face, "Your choice?"  
  
"I think I can remember how to tend to a horse-after all I remembered how to ride."  
  
"So you did, so you did."  
  
Duke made camp in the cave, taking her bedroll and placing it deep inside the cleaned out cave and then placing his own between her and the entrance.  
  
He hadn't really hoped for a peaceful night and he sure as hell hadn't expected to get any sleep. He knew she would ask questions he would be unable to answer just as he knew she would be furious with him for keeping secrets from her. They had eaten dinner and had settled down for sleep and she still hadn't asked any questions. She seemed reluctant to talk about anything and he wondered what was going through her head, wondered if she was just working out how to phrase the questions she wanted answered in such a way that he would be caught unaware. Finally, an hour after they had each laid down on their bedrolls she started asking questions.  
  
"What are we doing here?"  
  
Duke kept his gaze firmly on the ceiling, "We are supposed to be sleeping."  
  
"Duke. Answer the question. Why am I here? Why did Rodger kidnap me and dump me in the middle of nowhere-with you to keep me company."  
  
"I don't know why Rodger kidnapped you." He consoled himself that it wasn't an out and out lie he had just told, only a half-truth. He hadn't expected her to come willingly, to admit that she couldn't do something. Rodger knew her better than he did now and had obviously thought the same thing. So, he had done the only the thing he knew to do in order to secure her safety-kidnapped her and brought her kicking and screaming to him.  
  
Perhaps a change in topic would pacify her for now-or at least get her mind off questions he wasn't able to answer, "So what's it like working with Rodger? He mentioned that the two of you were running security detail. I guess that means you left the military."  
  
"Rodger'd been bugging me for years to leave-you remember-you used to get so annoyed with me about it-you were so afraid that I'd up and leave you for him."  
  
Duke scowled at the memories that surfaced with that comment, "Looks like he got his wish!" He turned over onto his side so he could face her for their verbal sparing match.  
  
'OH! He is always so fast to find fault with Rodger!' She sat up and looked straight at him, wishing that looks really could kill-she'd have him writhing on the ground in a heartbeat, "It was my choice to leave!"  
  
"He pushed you!" so much so that Duke wondered if they would still be together if the vaunted Rodger had never entered their lives  
  
"It was still my choice!"  
  
"Then why did you leave?! You were at the top of your career!"  
  
"Ohhh!" she screamed at him, "Some things! are more important than a career!"  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I seem to remember a certain first sergeant not being so happy about the position I was about to take!"  
  
He lay back down, cut to the bone; he had no reply to that. It was true-he hadn't wanted her to take that position. He had pressured her day and night-and for purely selfish reasons.  
  
'Finally!' she thought as she watched him lie back down; doing a typical Wild Bill, pulling his hat down over his eyes, effectively cutting off any and all further communication. Fine by her-she had no desire to speak to him. She lay back down and tried to rest but sleep was elusive tonight. She knew she had hurt him with that last remark-it was true but it brought back painful memories for both of them. Nothing had been the same since Cobra's defeat. Their future had been like a cloudy crystal ball with only hints as to what was in store for them. There had been so many paths open to them but what they had wanted and what were viable options were completely separate entities.  
  
They passed the rest of that night in relative peace, although by the next day neither had had much sleep so in addition to the tension they already had they were snipping at each other for the rest of the trip. 


	4. Home Sweet Home

After All This Time  
  
Chapter Four: Home Sweet Home  
  
Disclaimer: We own nothing but our imaginations.  
  
Duke kept careful watch over the next several days and finally decided it was safe to head back to the house. That night would be the last night they slept under the stars. Part of him was eternally thankful that they would soon be headed back towards modern conveniences like hot running water and decent coffee. The other part of him knew that the quarters they had been sharing out in the open would close significantly to a few thousand feet once they were back at the house. That thought unnerved him. He unrolled his bedding that night and crawled in, wishing for a solid night's rest, knowing he needed to build up his reserves. Sleep again that night, did not come. This time however, it was because she wound up in his arms shortly after midnight.  
  
Shauna was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open through dinner. She gave her bedroll a halfhearted shake and lay down, instantly falling asleep. Sometime around midnight she was having a horrid nightmare- reliving the time she and Rip Cord had nearly been eaten alive by spiders. She had never cared for the things, courtesy of one of her brother's early tricks, but after that episode she could not stand them. She screamed when one came near and always called for someone else to dispose of the creatures. She brushed her face, wanting to tuck the stray strands of hair out of her way. Annoyed that the strands of hair immediately fell back to where they were, she found herself wishing for a ponytail band harder than she had ever wished for one before in her life. At that point she was ready to get a knife and just cut the damn locks short enough that they wouldn't be a problem. In that instant she froze, still shaky from her nightmare, and terrified that if she touched her face she'd find that the nightmare was real. The thought that one of those, those, things.was crawling on her though was enough for her to slap violently at her face-and scream when the imagined creature turned real before her very eyes.  
  
Duke woke to the ear shattering sound of Shauna's terrified screams; he had the gun in his hand before he realized that no one-no man-no animal was near. "What's wrong? !"  
  
All he got for his answer was Shauna jumping up and down on her bedroll, slamming her boot again and again into the ground. And then he realized what must have happened, he had warned her to shake out her bedroll each night before she crawled in, leastwise some unwelcome creature would crawl up beside her in the middle of the night. He guessed tonight she had been too tired to pay much attention to the task. He put the safety back on the gun and tucked it into his pillow. In one stride he was pulling her up off the ground and into his arms. She was shaking like a leaf. He had forgotten how deathly afraid she was of the things. "Shush.it's okay, Shauna, I've got you now, everything will be fine." He repeated this mantra for several minutes; calmly stroking her hair while she cried great big gulping tears into his shoulder. When she was calm enough to pull slightly away from him her eyes shown in the bright moonlight with spilt tears-and plenty she was holding back. "Conrad."  
  
He couldn't stand the sight of her trembling lip, of all the things she had seen and done-spiders reduced her to tears. He pulled her back hard against him and held her there for a long time. The next time she pulled away she had cried enough but still needed comfort. She looked up at him, standing even with his chin in her bare feet, "Could you just hold me? Just for tonight? Please?" He knew how much it had taken for her to ask that now and longed for the past and a time when she would have just climbed into his bed for him to wrap his arms around her. Being secure in the knowledge that he would immediately pull her close to him and surround her with comfort.  
  
He picked her up, and stepped back over to his own bag, tromping carefully to make sure the critter had indeed left this plane of existence, though how he could have any doubt after the way she had taken after it with that boot was amazing. He lay down, pulled her as close as he could and then wrapped the blankets around them. It felt right holding her again. He tucked her under his chin and let out a small sigh of contentment as she assumed her usual sleeping position. Half sprawled on top of him, with one hand holding onto his left shoulder while she gently curled her other hand in his hair, as if by doing so she could hold him here with her indefinitely.  
  
Duke watched the moon set and the morning sunrise turn her hair into a fiery mane of color. She woke slowly, perhaps more slowly this morning than she had done most mornings on the trail. She lifted her head enough to look at him, "Hi." She spoke softly, wondering what else to say.  
  
He smiled at her then and her heart melted, "Good morning. Ready for breakfast?"  
  
No, but she nodded yes and shifted off of him, 'Good lord! Did I spend the whole night like that? She remembered the incident with the spider and suppressed a shudder.  
  
"If all goes well you won't have to endure nature for much longer."  
  
She cocked her head and studied him, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Get dressed, I'll tell you over coffee."  
  
She agreed and moved to her saddlebag while Duke fixed the last of their coffee over a small fire, which they had started lighting only a few days ago. She tended the fire while he saddled the horses-and tended to her bedroll. She was more than a little embarrassed when he tied it securely behind his own. "What did you mean by 'I won't have to endure nature much longer'?"  
  
"We're close to the safe house-we should be there by sunset."  
  
"I didn't know we were headed towards a destination?"  
  
He grimaced, so much for calling a truce, "The safe house has been the destination all along, I just needed to make sure we weren't being followed, which we're not but then you would have recognized it if we were. When we get to the safe house I'll need to do a perimeter check."  
  
"And if everything is as you left it?"  
  
"Then we move in and stay there until Roger gives the all clear." He took a mental breath and plowed ahead, "I do have to warn you, he told me he expected his business to take at least a month, perhaps more."  
  
"You mean I'm going to be here a month! Cut off from everything? The business? My projects?"  
  
He took another mental breath, best to get it over with, "Yes, all that, and your family as well."  
  
She looked away at that last comment, "They're used to not hearing from me for long periods of time."  
  
He wanted to ask why but was afraid to; afraid it had something to do with him. "Shauna.."  
  
She poured out the last bit of her precious coffee, "I should be more annoyed with you than I am-but the thought of a hot shower and a decent cup of coffee makes up for a lot."  
  
Duke had already saddled the horses so when they finished their breakfast they began their last day on the trail.  
  
They didn't stop for lunch but kept riding. They spoke little, Duke concentrating on their surroundings and Shauna's thoughts focusing on the past. The longer she was with him the harder it was to keep the memories and questions at bay. It was so hard to remember what exactly had happened between them. They had just.grown apart somehow, so far apart that they hadn't realized it until it was too late to do anything about it. They had been so good together before, apparently so good that neither one of them had found another to share their lives with. She let out a half laugh at that one, no matter how far away from each other they tried to run, their memories just ran with them.  
  
Duke stopped when the terrain started to climb. He waited until she had pulled her horse aside his, "What's up?" she asked  
  
He dug out a pair of binoculars from his saddlebag and passed them to her, "This is the last rise before we get to the canyon. Two sides of the canyon make almost a hallway into the canyon floor, we'll ride as far as that entrance and stop."  
  
Her gaze followed his hand as he pointed out the significant landmarks, "What happens when we get to the entrance of the canyon?"  
  
"We stop. We'll do another surveillance check and then I'll ride up alone to the safe house." He stopped her protests before she could get them out, "I'm going alone because I've set traps everywhere. It would take too long to point them out to you and if for some reason, things go wrong, you're going to need a head start."  
  
She scowled, "Fine. I don't like it but if someone's waiting you'll need me watching your back."  
  
He shook his head, she always had to have it her way, or at least think it was her idea. They rode to the entrance of the canyon and stopped. He handed over the pistol. She didn't take it. "Shauna, you might need this."  
  
"What the hell good is a pistol going to do me if I'm down here and you're up there? If someone is up there they'll be close enough for you to hit with the pistol. I get the riffle."  
  
The woman wanted his riffle! His riffle! "Duke, you know it's the best plan."  
  
He ground his teeth together; she had a point but still. "Here. Just be careful with it, it packs a wallop."  
  
He left her at the entrance to the canyon and rode swiftly up trail to the safe house. 'So far, so good.' He continually scanned his surroundings, when he had checked the first few traps and found them still in place he felt better. He relaxed his guard after he had checked all the traps, the surrounding outbuildings, and the safe house. He sent down his familiar 'all clear' and rode back down the trail.  
  
"Everything is exactly as I left it." He held out his hand for the riffle and after he had carefully placed it back in its place he gestured to the trail, "Come on and I'll show you you're new home."  
  
He was so protective of that riffle!, "All right, John Wayne, lead the way." She smirked at the scowl that temporarily marked his otherwise near perfect features. She turned to glance at the canyon slowly rising on the side of the trail, "Is the house on a plateau?"  
  
"Yes. Its location is strategic as well as scenic."  
  
He had that right, she thought, looking at all the trees she could see rising beside her. Where the hell had they all been? She could have sworn they had been riding through a desert.  
  
Her breath caught when she saw the house, it was so beautiful! Hand built adobe walls, a tiled roof, beams and supports that looked as if they had been cut from the trees near the canyon rather than sent from a factory.  
  
She all of a sudden realized he was talking, "The stable and corrals are directly in front of us, to the right when you face the house. The horses are free to wander and graze wherever they choose. There are fences that connect the corrals; we close the corrals off when we need the horses in a certain place. The grass is green now but if you're here long enough it'll turn brown in the deep summer months." He kept rambling on about the buildings, land, and wildlife but she stopped listening. She turned this way and that, taking it all in. Bill's ranch was her only experience in the west. That memory earned a smile. She had turned thirty that birthday when the team was taking a little R and R at Bill's place .and it had been a significant moment in her relationship with Duke.  
  
They corralled the horses and Duke took her inside the house. She ran her hand over the roughness of the unfamiliar wood, wondering at the man who would go to the trouble of cutting down a tree just for a doorframe. She thought she could respect a man who put so much time and effort into something so important as a home. The building had that lived in feeling, the floor was slightly scuffed, and there were nicks in the doorframes as if furniture had been moved about several times. They had come in through the side of the house and were slowly working their way up to the front.  
  
"The door we just entered leads back to the stables, the mudroom where we came in is to store boots, coats, firewood, and anything dirty. The sink works so if you need to wash up, go ahead and use it. It's better than tracking dirt and mud through the house. He led her through the rest of the house but the details were again lost to her as she looked around at everything in wide-eyed wonder.  
  
Duke caught her stares, "What? Didn't think my skills could extend to carpentry?"  
  
She let out a breath he took the wrong way, "You built this place?"  
  
He ground his teeth again in what was quickly becoming a habit when he was around her, "Yeah-I did. Want to make something out of it?" She slit her eyes at him, goodbye truce. She looked away.  
  
He pointed out the interior of the house, to the left were the bedrooms and main bathroom. He stopped before mentioning what was on the right. "Hey- what's back there?"  
  
He paused, "My office and library. I prefer to keep those two areas private." He emphasized the word private and she had no doubt the word had been added for her benefit. It did cause her to wonder, as she scoffed at his tone of voice and highhanded manner, exactly what was locked away. What did he not want her to see?  
  
"If you need me for any reason and I'm not in the common areas I'll probably be in my office. If I need to leave the house for any reason I'll let you know beforehand. You're bedroom is in the back." He walked down the hall and opened a door.  
  
"So this is it, huh?" she ran a hand over the door frame-it had been split from wood she was not familiar with-and she wondered at the man-it had a man's touch to it. "Home, sweet, home." she murmured her voice trailing off.  
  
"If you need anything I'll be out at the stables. The horses will need to be tended to." She stood watching him walk away. The sound of a door slamming shut reached her ears at the back of the house. Then it was quiet-too quiet. Quiet like it had been the last time he had left. She slammed her own door shut and leaned against the door, her anger fading away to exhaustion and despair. How was she going to manage living with him again for a whole month, maybe longer, without loosing it? She willed the tears forming in her eyes not to fall. "Damn him." 


	5. Memories

After All This Time  
  
Chapter 5: Memories  
  
Disclaimer: We own nothing but our imaginations.  
  
Duke unsaddled and cared for the horses, taking his time with the task. It soothed him, settling his temper and his rattled nerves. He had a choice to make, he could either walk back in there and continue to isolate her, thereby making them both miserable and inevitably living out the rest of his days alone, he had long ago decided there was no one else like her, or, he could go back in there and attempt to break down some of the walls she had erected. He could get back to the core of things; find out what the hell had gone so wrong with them. And maybe.just maybe.he could dare to hope that he could find, somewhere inside of her, a glimmer of feeling for him, a tiny glimmer that could be nurtured into a spark, and from a spark back into a flame. He was still in love with her, he had lived with that fact every moment since they had parted ways, accepted that he would always love her. It would be a hell of a lot better if he could love her and live with her at the same time, and for that to happen, she'd have to learn to love him back. "Damn, what a circle we're caught in. Can't be happy together, can't be happy apart." He put the saddles, brushes, and things back in their proper places and went back inside to start dinner.and to start mending the broken pieces of their relationship.  
  
She heard him come back in. He was in the mudroom, she supposed taking off his boots and washing his hands. His footsteps came down the hall. Her breath caught in her throat as they paused outside her door. He knocked softly. She stayed where she was, face down on the bed. She shut her eyes tight and scrunched up her pillow, still damp from her tears. What could he possibly want now?  
  
He knocked again, a little louder this time, "Shauna?" he called softly through the door.  
  
'Hell!' She thought, he wasn't going to go away. She dried her eyes and went to open the door a crack, hoping the lighting was dim enough that he wouldn't see the tear tracks on her face. She just looked at him, not trusting her voice to speak.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower and then start dinner. I thought you might like to decide dinner tonight."  
  
He was asking her what she wanted for dinner. 'Imagine that, he's trying to be nice to me again!' She supposed it was because they were going to be stuck here together for a while. Ball was in her court; she had to decide if it was worth the risk to be nice to him. She could either live with him and be nasty mean about it and keep her heart safe, or she could be nice to him and risk having her heart hurt again. It was already damaged; there wasn't a whole lot he could do to make it worse. "Do you have chicken?"  
  
He thought for a second, "Yes. I'll take it out of the freezer before I get in the shower. Could you start chopping vegetables to go with the chicken?"  
  
"Sure. Just give me a minute."  
  
"I'll leave them out on the counter."  
  
She waited until she heard the bathroom door shut down the hall before she made her way to the kitchen. As promised, vegetables, a knife, and a small bowl had been left out on the counter. The mindless activity of chopping vegetables gave her thoughts time to wander. Her thoughts turned once again to the time she had spent at Bill's ranch in Texas:  
  
It had been a long, rough mission but their goals had been accomplished. The cobra base they had infiltrated had been destroyed but not before they were able to retrieve the information they had come to get. Hawk had been overjoyed that finally something was going right. Duke convinced him to grant the small team five day's leave before heading back to base. They had all slept on the chopper ride to Bill's place, flying late into the night to arrive at the ranch close to sunrise. Bill had woken her up so she could watch the sun rise over the valley and meet the land, the sun's warm kiss turning everything red and gold. Bill landed and got everyone settled. She had been the last one to wake up that afternoon, joining the boys for an intense card game before she and Duke had gone off for a walk. It had been so nice, she remembered, being able to spend time with him away from the military. Bill had made his famous Texas hot links. Everyone had eaten outside and they had laughed all night. Duke had walked her up to her room, given her a stirring good night kiss, and then went down the hall to his own room. She spent that night dreaming of what it would be like when she and Duke found that perfect moment to be together.  
  
The next morning she had woken up to the smell of roses, she opened her eyes and discovered Duke had left a rose in her hand sometime during the night. She had lain there in bliss for some time; he loved her.just as much as she loved him. It was so new, feeling like this. She had thought herself to be in love before, but not like this. This time it felt like forever, like nothing or no one could tear them apart.  
  
It had turned out to be the best birthday she had ever had. The boys pulled out all the stops, a full southern breakfast, jokes, laughs; Bill had even pulled out his harmonica and made her dance with Gung Ho after he shoved a guitar in Duke's hands. Country-dance music wasn't exactly Duke's area of expertise but he did okay.  
  
And then later.Duke had apparently cornered Bill sometime that morning about wanting some time alone with her. He took her on a trail ride to the perfect secluded picnic spot. They finished their picnic and just sat, enjoying each other's company. He took her hand, "Happy Birthday, Shauna. I'm sorry I don't have anything more than a picnic lunch to give you."  
  
She puts her finger to his mouth. "Sshs. You've already given me something more precious than gold, you're heart. I love you Conrad, with all of mine."  
  
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "You have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that."  
  
She pulls back to look at him, "Just waiting for the perfect moment." She popped the buttons on his shirt open and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Now, about that Birthday gift you think you owe me, I know exactly what I want." She teased him as she leaned back to lie on the blanket, bringing him with her. She ran her hands over his now bare muscular chest.  
  
"Do you now?" he mumbled as he captured her lips with his.  
  
Duke stood in the doorway of the kitchen watching her. She had the most peaceful look on her face, her mouth turned up in a slight smile. She was remembering something. What? He wondered. Well, whatever it was the memory was a good one. He had decided something while he was in the shower, his life had been fairly miserable without her, incomplete, and off center. He was still in love with her and he wanted her back. He had absolutely no idea of how to go about doing that. She hated him! She blamed him for ruining their relationship. She would have lived the rest of her life perfectly happy without him had she had a choice. He couldn't remember much about their breakup. He could remember the day she called the whole thing off, the exact moment and phrasing she used when she hurled his engagement ring at his head, the last item in a volley of breakables. He actually had a tiny scar on the side of his cheek from a glass she had hurled at his head shortly before she had left his quarters. Other than that he didn't really give a damn, he knew what he wanted and he would use everything in his arsenal to get her back. He won her once by God, he could do it again!  
  
He followed instinct and approached her silently, "Penny for your thoughts?" he whispered in her ear.  
  
She gasped, startled that he had taken her by surprise, and unsettled because he was so close. She could smell his soap; feel the heat from his body. Any closer and he would be brushing against her. She stopped cutting vegetables and just stood there, breath caught in her throat, half hoping he would put his arms around her like before, half wishing he would just back up and give her some space.  
  
He could feel her shiver, 'At least now I know she's not indifferent to me, that's something.' "You were remembering something. What?"  
  
She swallowed, "Nothing.it was nothing." She started chopping vegetables again.  
  
"It must have been something, you were smiling."  
  
"How long until the chicken is ready to cook?"  
  
He backed up, if he pushed too much too soon then he would loose the fragile bond of peace they seemed to have agreed upon. "It's only been out of the freezer for twenty minutes. It needs a while longer before I put it in the sauté pan. Finish the veggies, I'll get cooking supplies out."  
  
She concentrated on cutting the vegetables, not wanting to encourage conversation, but she watched him out of the corner of her eye. And she was aware of him, aware of where he was at all times. He brought more vegetables for her to cut up and threw them in with the chicken when it was time to start cooking.  
  
She had just finished setting the table and pouring each of them a glass of water, the only beverage she could find in the kitchen, when he brought the pan over to the table and carefully placed chicken and vegetables on their plates. He put the pan in the sink and sat down across from her.  
  
"Try it, you should like it."  
  
She took a small bite and closed her eyes, "You learned how to cook!"  
  
He laughed, "Yeah, I did. I suppose that means you like it?"  
  
"I'm eating it aren't I?"  
  
They were silent for a moment. She really hadn't meant for that last comment to come across so harshly. "So, who taught you to cook?"  
  
He didn't answer for a long moment, "Roadblock."  
  
Her water glass paused halfway to her mouth, "Oh." She figured she already knew the answer to the question she was about to ask but she needed to ask it out loud, "Why Roadblock?"  
  
He looked up, "He was the only one on base at the time who really knew how to cook. I asked and he agreed to teach me."  
  
"Get tired of eating base food?"  
  
"No. I just thought that if you and I were getting married, one of us should learn how to cook. Cooking was never you're favorite thing so I asked Roadblock to teach me as a favor.'"  
  
"You never told me." She looked at him, wondering why he had never shared this with her.  
  
"It was going to be a surprise. Our first morning as a married couple I was going to make you breakfast and bring it to you in bed." He pushed his plate away.  
  
She didn't know what to say. "Conrad, I'm .I'm sorry things didn't work out between the two of us. I had thought they would, that we'd get past anything so long as we worked together. But we didn't." She looked away.  
  
He reached across the table and took her hand, "We never talked about what really happened. We should have." He ran his thumb across her knuckles.  
  
She pushed her plate aside and stood up. "I'm tired, Conrad. And I don't want to get into this now." She started to walk away but his hand pulled her back.  
  
"Shauna, we owe to ourselves to talk about this, we're never going to make it here together if we don't make amends. After all this time we should at least be able to sit down and talk about it. "  
  
She paused, turning towards him, and saw the sincerity in his eyes. If she managed to get out of talking about it now, then he'd find a way to make them talk about it later. "Conrad, you know just as well as I do what happened. I don't think there is any point in bringing it up again."  
  
"No, Shauna, I don't know what happened. Things started happening so quickly, we got caught up in a whirlwind of change and I lost you."  
  
"Yeah, things started changing. The Joes were disbanded, we were being sent back out into the real military. We had been offered different positions in different places. And the best offer I had, the one offer I was really interested in would mean I would get a promotion and outrank you! And you couldn't handle the fact that your "woman" would outrank you!"  
  
"Shauna, that's not fair. It was never that."  
  
"Oh, really? Then what the hell was the problem? You sure were acting like you weren't too happy with the idea of my promotion. But at the same time you were the one that was pushing me to stay in the military. You were at the top of your career, I was on my way, and the position that could have taken me there was the one position that you had a problem with!"  
  
"Your right, I didn't want you to take that position. I didn't want you to outrank me, but dammit that was not the only thing that broke us up! I was willing to sit down and talk about it but you refused. You refused to even entertain the idea of a compromise!"  
  
"Conrad, explain to me what the hell a compromise is?! We were in the military, we don't compromise. We're trained to take orders and follow them without question. At least that's the way I was trained."  
  
"Fighting with you was not what I wanted. Can we just sit and talk without fighting?" "You're the one who wanted to know, but if you can't handle it..."  
  
He took her by the shoulders and gave her a hard shake, "Shauna, look, yes I admit I was jealous, I didn't want you to outrank me, but I didn't want to lose you! I would have walked through hell and back for you! I did on more than one occasion so don't you dare say that jealousy was the one thing that tore us apart. You're just as much to blame as I am."  
  
"What did I ever do?"  
  
"It's not what you did, its what you didn't do. You were never willing to stay and talk things out. If things were important enough for us to argue about then we argued until I gave up and let you have your way. But that's not going to happen this time! I'm not letting you run away from this!"  
  
"The hell with you, the hell with this! You wanted to know what happened, this is what happened. If you can't handle the fact that this is what really tore us up, that's your problem. Now, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. Now." She broke loose from his grasp and stormed down the hall to her room and slammed the door. He could hear the lock click in the door.  
  
She slammed the door to her room for the second time that day and slumped against in tears she could no longer hold back. She had to get away. He was right, she knew he was right but it didn't change a thing, not a damn thing. They were still miles apart and she was certain that nothing and no one could bring them together again.  
  
Duke cleaned up the dishes and went to the library. He closed the door quietly. If he let go of his control now he'd go storming down the hall and break her door down. So instead, he went to the cabinet by his desk and took out the bottle of Scotch. He poured himself a generous portion of brown amber liquid and put the bottle back. He set his drink down on the desk and reached down to the very bottom of the cabinet and took a small square box. He carried the box and his drink over to the couch and set down. He leaned back on the couch and took a deep swallow of his drink. Fighting with her always took it out of him. He looked the box in his hands but couldn't bring himself to open it. He placed it gently on the coffee table. He finished his drink in one swallow and placed the empty glass next the box. He leaned his head against the top of the couch and let his thoughts drift him into sleep.  
  
He woke up the next morning when the bright sunlight came streaming in the library window. He stood up and stretched. He had things he needed to do and they wouldn't wait. He walked out of the library, did a quick perimeter check, and then went to take care of the ranch chores.  
  
Scarlett woke up at the sound of a door closing. She was starving. They hadn't even really gotten into their meal when they started arguing. She got out of bed and dressed, stopping briefly in the kitchen to see if Duke had started breakfast. He was no where to be seen. She grabbed a piece of fruit and started looking for him. He wasn't in his room, the bed didn't even look like he'd slept in it. That left the library and outside. She checked the library first. Duke wasn't there but he hadn't been gone long. An empty glass was sitting on the table in front of the couch. She picked it up and sniffed it, the familiar sent of Scotch sent memories rolling over her. Not just any brand of Scotch, her brand. The only kind she would drink. The kind she'd gotten him hooked on shortly after their relationship had started. She put the glass back on the table and picked up the box. And feeling a little too much like Pandora, she opened the box. 


	6. Confessions

After All This Time  
  
Disclaimer: We own nothing but our imaginations. This chapter is dedicated to Annie, for pulling out the cattle prod and threatening us on a daily basis for this next chapter!  
  
Chapter 6: Confessions  
  
Scarlett put the lid of the box carefully on the table before she looked inside, being almost afraid of what she would find. Gathering her courage around her, she looked and found two things stored in the box, and knew without looking any further that she had found the missing scrapbook her best friend, Lady Jaye, had given herself and Duke at their last engagement party. The engagement party where Flint had taken the candid shot she had found slipped under Duke's saddle. She picked up the small jewelry box and very slowly opened the lid to find what would have been their wedding bands. They were beautiful, two silver bands, twisted into Celtic knots, the intricate pattern intertwining within itself. Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes as she thought about the day one of those rings should have been lovingly placed upon her hand, a day that had never happened.  
  
She placed the ring box to the side and opened the front cover of the scrapbook and read, "No two people could be more suited to each other, all my love, Allie."  
  
The first page of the book was a photograph of the G.I. Joe team as it had first begun. She and Duke were standing side by side. She smiled at how young she looked compared to now, although hardly five years had passed since the photo had been taken. Shauna began turning the pages in the book. The pictures centered on her and Duke, with the first few pages containing mostly group shots of the team as a whole or the two of them with certain friends from the team. It seemed that even before they were a couple they were always together. Suddenly the theme of the pictures changed, now exclusively focusing on the two of them as a couple. There were movie stubs, programs from a few museums and plays they had seen in their many travels and photographs she hadn't even remembered having taken, being so wrapped up in the man around her. The last few pages of pictures and memorabilia dealt with their engagement, she was always in his arms, either laughing at some comment someone had made to them, kissing her fiancé, or more often than not, some combination. Tears were flowing rapidly now. Why had he kept all this? Why would he want to be reminded of their past? Of her? He hated her, or at least she had thought he had until last night. She was even more unsure of his feelings now. What if there was still some part of him that loved her? Would it be enough? They couldn't go back but could they go forward? Could they start over?  
  
Duke wrestled Donas out of his stall; the damn horse was determined to give him a hard time, as if he knew his master had fought with the one person the horse was fond of. Duke started to brush Donas with firm, quick strokes. The horse turned to nip at Duke and he realized he had been taking his anger out on the horse. He sighed and leaned against the horse.  
  
"I'm sorry, boy. I just don't understand her, I'm not sure I ever did or ever will." He laughed. "I used to think that was part of the fun, I don't think so any more."  
  
Donas whinnied at him, as if to say he was an idiot, seemingly voicing Duke's own thoughts, 'You coward, if you love her, does it really matter that you won't always understand her? If you really loved her, you'd march back in there and fight for her, not stand out in the barn, talking to a damn horse as if he was going to give you the answers you're looking for. There's only one person who can give you those answers, and she's not here, so go find her.'  
  
"You know, you're right." And giving Donas one last pat he put the brushes away and turned to go find her.  
  
Duke walked into the kitchen and found no evidence that she was awake yet. He continued down the hall, found her door open but she wasn't there. He turned and went back up the hall, figuring she would be in the meeting room or had perhaps decided upon a morning workout. He stopped suddenly as he noticed that the door to his library was open a fraction. The library was his sacred place, his one and only retreat, and he would never forget to close the door. He clenched and unclenched his hands in anger. As Duke silently pushed the door open further and found her seated on the couch, his initial anger at having his private space violated disappeared as a single tear drop escaped from her eye to run down her face. He dropped the hat he had forgotten he was holding and she looked up to meet his shocked gaze with one of her own. He stepped forward instinctively to comfort her and then stopped; unsure if he had that right any more, and even if he did, if comfort from him would be welcome. He stepped back, leaning against the doorframe and watched her as an uncomfortable silence descended upon them, neither one of them knowing what to say.  
  
She looked up; silent tears streaming freely down her face, "Why?" she whispered, her voice rough with emotion.  
  
"It was all I had left." He whispered back softly, "It was all I had left of you and I couldn't let it go."  
  
She shook her head back and forth, confused, "I thought you hated me?"  
  
'Hate you Shauna?' he questioned himself silently as he stood up straight. "No, Shauna, I never hated you. I was angry with you ." he paused, finally ready to admit this out loud, ".and jealous, but I never hated you, I couldn't, I loved you too much."  
  
His eyes were filled with emotion but she couldn't decide if the emotion was hope or despair. "You loved me, or are you still in love with me?"  
  
He took a deep breath and held it for a long moment, "Yes." he finally answered, "I am still in love with you. That's not something that ever changed, it's not something that ever could change."  
  
She shook her head, "Why, Conrad, why? Why didn't you ever tell me?"  
  
He turned to her, "You hated me; you made that abundantly clear, and I couldn't stand causing you pain any longer."  
  
She looked up at him, saw tears now glinting in his eyes, and felt something shift and give way inside her, "I never hated you. I hated what we had become; I hated the way we couldn't agree on anything! We worked when we were with Joe but I was afraid, Conrad. I didn't know if we could work outside of Joe. But we never had the chance to find out, did we? We let our fear and our pride tear us apart."  
  
He looked at her, desperately needing to know, not daring to hope yet, "Shauna, are you still in love with me?"  
  
She sat there, taking the question in, and swallowing her pride, she ripped down the last barriers between them, met his eyes and answered, "Yes, I'm still in love with you. For the last five years I tried to convince myself that I wasn't in love with you any more, but I couldn't do it. I loved you too much, and deep down, I knew I'd always love you."  
  
He blinked back the tears in his eyes, and went to her, dropping to his knees before her, putting his hands on her arms, "Shauna, we've wasted five damn years of our life on fear and pride. I don't want to waste another second, if you'll have me back, please tell me, tell me the walls are gone for good, please." his voice broke and one solitary tear streamed down his face.  
  
She reached for him then, sliding down to the floor in front of him, running her trembling hands over his face before throwing her arms around him and bringing his face to meet hers for a kiss, soft and sweet, tender and mild. She pulled away and looked him straight in the eyes, "Yes, Conrad, I want you back. I want you back now, I don't want to waste any more time either. The last five years away from you have been hell; they've been more painful for me than anything I've ever been through." They reached for each other and in that embrace, all their emotions found an outlet in each other, in the passion that had always been between them, even if they had only simmered beneath the surface.  
  
He pulled her tight against him and felt something hard and round press against his chest. He pulled back, questions again in his eyes, as his gaze followed his hand as he slipped one finger under the chain at the side of her neck and pulled her necklace out of her shirt, finding the engagement ring he had feared lost all these years. "How? I searched for it, for days after you threw it at me. When I couldn't find it I took it as a sign that we weren't meant to be together."  
  
"And you picked then, of all times, to start believing in signs?" she asked incredulously. They both grinned and started to laugh; she brought her hand up to his face to once more guide his lips to hers. Their lips brushed each other's as a loud crash sounded around them.  
  
"BOOM!" Duke threw her the floor and covered her with his body as men and debris suddenly came crashing into the room, weapons blazing. Duke looked helplessly around the room; all the exits were blocked. "The hallway entrance!" he shouted to her as they jumped up and engaged in the fight. "It's the closest exit!"  
  
Duke wrestled with a soldier for his gun but the man's partners joined the fight and Duke was soon dangerously outnumbered. Scarlett looked helplessly on as she fought her own battle with three more soldiers. The men were focusing on Duke; if she could only take out one of these men she would have an opening!  
  
As if one of the enemy soldiers could read her mind, he leveled his gun at her and fired. She screamed and went down, not moving.  
  
Duke turned in time to see her fall; "NO!" he had just found her again. Life could not be so cruel as to take her away! A desperate energy filled him as he took down two of the soldiers surrounding him. One of the soldiers Scarlett had been fighting picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and stepped through the window and onto the waiting chopper. The blood on the floor where her body had lain terrified him. She hadn't moved, not even when the man had tossed her over his shoulder. Duke had taken out all but one man; they circled each other, each searching for a weakness to exploit. Duke's temporary panic gave his opponent the opportunity he needed. The man reached for his sidearm, fired, and watched as Duke fell into the bookcase, bringing the structure down on top of him.  
  
Duke's opponent signaled the others, "He's taken care of. Is the woman secured in the chopper?"  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
"Then lets get the hell back to base."  
  
The enemy soldiers left as suddenly as they had arrived.  
  
Duke woke to pain and darkness. He crawled from underneath the bookcase and looked at the destruction surrounding him, the house was still and silent. She was gone. 


	7. Council of War

As we were hard at work on the next chapter we decided to make a few changes to the story in order to make things more exciting. In order to do that we needed to go back and change a few things in this chapter so please take a few moments and reread this chapter. The next chapter should be out soon! The wait is worth it!

As always, we own nothing but our imaginations…

Please send us a review and let us know what you think! Liz and Shana aka Romancing the Joes

Chapter 7 Council of War

Roger leaned down to nuzzle his lover's neck. The stars were bright, the ocean calm, and Penny was sighing his name. He figured it didn't get much better than this. He was a man in his own slice of heaven. The phone was ringing but he was ignoring it.

Penny turned her head, "Agh, Aren't you going to answer that?"

Roger shook his head and followed the curve of her delicious neck down.

"Roger! It could be Shauna, you should answer it." Penny rolled out of his grasp and passed him the phone.

Roger eyed it with disgust before jerking it out of her hand, "Somebody had better be dead!" he yelled into the phone without even asking who it was.

"She might be by now for all I know! Did you forget how to answer a phone?" Conrad bit out each word, fear and anger making his voice gravelly.

"What happened?"

There was silence for long minutes, "She's gone, Roger."

"Gone? Gone where?" Roger threw the sheet back from the bed and started looking around for his clothes.

On the end of the line Duke sat down in the wreckage of his library and dropped his head into his hands, concentrating on keeping his breathing steady, "They took her. I don't know where. Hell, I don't even know who."

"That's impossible! I sent her to you for protection! We covered our tracks! No one should have know or even guessed! Hell!"

Roger hurled a shoe across the room and let out a volley of curses, "Where are you? What happened?"

As he relayed everything that had happened from the moment the bad guys had come crashing though the window Duke's anger replaced his fear. Fear wasn't something he could use at this point but anger was. Anger would clear his head; allow him to think, and to plan. He would get her back, as soon as he knew who had her, he'd get her back.

By the time Duke had briefed Roger on what had happened Roger was dressed and in his office, furiously searching through recorded transmissions, data on the terrorist group that had targeted Shauna, and any other information he thought might lend him a clue as to where she was. The who had taken her was certain, how they had found her and where they had taken her was not.

Penny walked in with coffee and handed him a cup, squeezing his hand. Roger returned the gesture and turned his attention back to Duke. "It has to be the group we were tracking shortly before I sent her to you. I've got an agent in their organization I'll try to contact while you're in route. The group is based in Florida; chances are they went back to one of their old bases in the Everglades. We'll need help, Duke. I've got a few men I trust, get as many of yours as you can and get down here quick."

Duke grunted, "I can be down there in eight to nine hours. I have men who are closer. I'll need coordinates to your island, I don't care how you get them to me, just do."

Roger scoffed, "You think I'm just going to hand my location over to you on a silver platter? I don't even know if your damn line is secure!" Roger mentally reviewed the Joes he kept track of and where they would be coming from. He calculated flight paths and times and decided upon a rendezvous point.

"You'll need to get to Opa-locka airport in Miami. Cougar will meet you and bring you the rest of the way. It would help if you could bring along a few pilots and a chopper."

"Fine, I'll check in when my men are mobilized." Duke slammed down the phone and nearly threw it across the room. Damn that man! Stonewalling him wasn't going to help Shauna and that was their only goal! He ran his hands through his hair and concentrated on breathing in and out until the rage had passed and rational thought had returned. Roger was right, he ground his teeth as he admitted it, there was a good chance a phone on one end wasn't secure and they couldn't take a chance.

He called Flint and began rummaging through the debris for things he would need to pack. As the phone rang he made a mental list of things he would need to do before he left.

Flint was lingering over a second cup of coffee when his cell rang. He put down his paper and coffee and reached for the phone. He looked down at the read out and shot straight out of his chair when he recognized the number displayed.

"Allie, get in here, its Conrad!"

Flint mashed the answer button, "Conrad, it's been awhile, a while too long."

"Scarlett's been taken."

Flint's feet hit the floor, "What? How? Who?"

"She got into something and it went bad. Roger contacted me a week ago and I agreed to protect her until he took care of the situation. Conrad paused in his packing, searching for words. Flint was his best friend, hopefully he'd understand what he was feeling without hearing the words, "Dash, we, she, ugh..." he took a deep breath, just say it, "…we made up, Dash. And then some fucking terrorists came crashing through the window and took her away from me! Again! I'm going after them."

Allie had been listening to her husband's side of the conversation, Dash reached up and held her hand tightly over his shoulder; "We're coming too. Just tell us where."

"Thanks, I was hoping you'd say that. We're going to rendezvous at Opa-locka airport in Miami. Roger's place is on some island in the keys. I assume you're in Boston?" At Flint grunt of affirmation Duke went on, "Get the first flight out."

Allie took the phone from her husband's hands, "Duke, I'm still in contact with several people from the team. I'll get them mobilized, you just get what you need and get down there. Anything else we can do?"

Conrad smiled briefly, "Just get down there fast. I'll call you in a few hours from a new number."

"We're on it. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!" Duke hung up and called Wild Bill. Bill didn't need to know any details, only that Scarlett needed him. Twenty minutes after Bill hung up, he had given instructions to his foreman, loaded his chopper with supplies and a few cowhands, and was on his way.

Flint took his phone back, "You get the numbers; I'll start packing." Allie logged onto their computer and pulled up a list of contact numbers for their close friends from the team, people that would drop whatever they were doing to help rescue one of their own. They split the list in half and started making calls as they finished their packing.

All around the United States former members of the G. I. Joe team became mobilized, headed for South Florida. One by one they began to arrive and made contact with Flint, Lady Jaye, or Duke. Shipwreck was the first to arrive and began taking stock of what each team member had brought with him or her. If there was something the Joes thought they would need and didn't have, groups of two or three would go out and get whatever it was that was needed.

Duke contacted Flint when he and Bill had picked up the last man they needed from out West. "What's our status?"

"Several of us are here, Shipwreck has been coordinating shopping trips to get what we don't have. Gung Ho is the only one we haven't been able to get a hold of."

"Good. Keep trying GH; he probably let the battery on his phone die down. Roger's still trying to locate the group that took Scarlett. He's contacted his undercover agent and is waiting on a reply."

In the late afternoon shadows of the bayou, Etienne La Fitte, better known as Gung Ho, was wrestling with an alligator. "Give it up, you scaly, green…" He had been out on the bayou fishing that morning when his cell phone rang. Only a handful of people had that number and they would only call if it were important. He'd picked the dang phone up and a gator had attacked the boat. Everything had gone in the water and the damn gator had swallowed his phone! Gung Ho wrapped his muscular arms more tightly around the gator's neck and dragged the beast to shore. The phone was ringing again!

Lady Jaye tried Gung Ho again as Flint unloaded their luggage from their rental car. If that damn marine didn't answer his phone soon, they'd have to go on without him. She wasn't going to leave another message. She was about to end the call when a strangled voice answered, "Duke?"

Jaye laughed, "Finally! Gung Ho you sure know how to make a lady wait!"

"Jaye?" The strangled voice asked

"Yes. Hey, are you all right? You're out of breath." Jaye managed to make out something about a gator swallowing his phone. She cut his story short before he became too involved in the telling of it, relayed the necessary information and asked for an ETA. If he could get out of the swamp fast enough he might actually make it to the airport before everyone left for Roger's. "Gung Ho, if you get to the airport and we're not there, call my cell phone. I'll arrange for someone to pick you up."

By the time Duke and Wild Bill arrived with Dusty and Spirit, everyone was waiting for them except Gung Ho. Roger's man, Cougar, who had dropped Scarlett in that canyon days ago was there also. He was talking to a few of the guys, swapping war stories no doubt. Cougar rushed to meet him as the chopper landed, motioning to Bill to keep it running.

"Roger heard from his contact. He knows where she is. So far, she's alive. Your men are all here except for your Cajun Marine; I'll come back for him later. Lift Ticket brought a chopper with him and Flint has split your men into groups for the trip to the island. We got all the equipment onto the two choppers that were already here. Since you've got room, we'll load a couple of people onto your chopper and go to the island immediately. Roger will fill you in when you get there." When Duke looked up the Joes were loading and Flint and Lady Jaye were running towards Bill's chopper.

Cougar ran back towards his chopper and lifted off, Lift Ticket and Wild Bill following close behind him.

A short time later the three choppers were sitting down on a tarmac outside a high stone wall closing in several stucco out buildings and a beautiful three-story house. A woman with short blonde hair was waving to them. Cougar jumped out and greeted her.

"Everybody listen up!" He shouted to be heard over the noise of the Joes. "This is Penny. She'll take you in and get you something to eat. You need something, you ask Penny. We'll have a briefing in one hour."

He nodded and Penny stepped forward, "If you would grab whatever personal gear you can carry and follow me, I'll show everyone to their rooms. I'll have someone bring in your weapons and equipment in a moment. We have a room designated for your gear and will let you check on everything after the briefing. If you find there is something you need that has not been provided, personal or military, let me know and I'll take care of it. " She greeted the Joes by name and took them to their assigned rooms, reminding them that food was waiting on them in the dining room downstairs when they unpacked.

Cover Girl hovered at the back of the line, waiting for her teammates to be given their room assignments before she got her own, "Penelope Green. You took my picture when I made the cover of Cosmo."

Penny laughed, "I did, and that picture jumpstarted my professional career. I was sad to hear you left the modeling world. You had a bright future. But then Shauna told me why you'd quit and I understood. I've never been on missions with Roger and Shauna but what they -, what you all do is important."

Courtney nodded, "Yeah. Thanks for understanding."

"You better get unpacked, now that everyone is here, well almost everyone, Roger won't want to wait. Perhaps after we get Shauna back we can sit down and talk. "

Courtney nodded, "I'd like that."

Penny smiled and turned back to go downstairs, issuing orders for food to be brought out and attending to the details of feeding and housing a small army.

Cougar pulled Duke and Flint to the side as the Joes walked in and brought them to Roger's command center.

"Finally! I thought I was going to have to do this without you Hauser."

Conrad advanced on Roger but Flint pulled him back, "Ignore him, you'll get her back faster if you do, then I'll hold him and you can wallop him."

Roger shook his head, "You can try. Anyways, Cougar filled me in on your men and equipment. We now have three choppers, Cougar will work with your pilots to upgrade the weapons after our briefing."

"You want to tell me how a private citizen has access to the latest in military weapons?"

Roger grinned, "Sure, if you want. Or we could get down to why we're here. I heard back from my agent."

Duke and Flint immediately sobered, "And!"

"Grab a cup of coffee, have a seat, and I'll give you the highlights so you can help with the briefing."

"Cougar told us she's safe for now."

Roger shook his head, leaning back in his chair, "No thanks to you, but for the moment, yeah, she's somewhat safe. They've beat her up and thrown her into a cell. I'm sure they'll be back later to beat her some more. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get this briefing under way so she endures the fewest beatings possible."

"Why did they target her?"

"Why her and not me? She pissed them off more than me? They underestimated her because she's a woman? I can only guess. That doesn't matter right now. But to understand who has her you're going to need a little history lesson."

Duke and Flint nodded and Roger continued, "You know that when the Joes broke up Shauna eventually came down here to work with my security agency. What you probably don't know is that she was a silent partner from the beginning. She wanted to be a part of the business but didn't want to leave the Joes to fight Cobra without her. So, she popped in now and then but mostly kept up to date from progress reports sent to her via encrypted email.

"We're private but occasionally take a contract from the government, state or national, to help them out."

"For a fee."

Roger sat up, "Of course. Listen Hauser it's obvious that you have a problem with me; I've got one you too. I'm more than willing to settle our differences once and for all after we've got her back. Fair enough?"

Conrad clenched his jaw, wishing he could beat Roger up now rather than later, "Agreed."

Roger once again sat back in his chair, putting on a casual front just to annoy Hauser, "Good. Now, shortly after Shauna came down here we accepted a government job putting a small terrorist organization in the Everglades under surveillance. We worked together along with a small team of our agents. We created a profile on the group. They called themselves, Citizens for a New World Order. Our profile was accepted and we were asked to continue our surveillance. We recorded an argument between two group members. One wanted out, it was getting to heavy for him; the other gave the usual, 'the only way you leave is in a wooden coffin' speech. We reported to our employers and were instructed to offer the man immunity if he would testify against the other members of the Citizens organization."

Duke interrupted, "This man would be the one Scarlett was protecting?"

"Yes. One of our agents made contact with the man and he agreed to testify if he could be insured protection. Our job was to get the man safely from the meeting place to our employer. Shauna had the guy in handcuffs and was loading him in the car when he took off. After a couple of days she tracked him to a base we didn't know about. We went to the base, took it over, and several members of the Citizens group were taken into custody."

"But not him."

"No. We knew the Citizens would reform and made arrangements to place a man on the inside. We needed someone new, just in case our people had been seen by someone who wasn't in custody." Roger looked at Duke. "I actually hired one of your undercover operatives, Ronald Blair."

Duke looked impressed, "Blair was one of the best operatives I've ever trained. He was a good choice."

"Yeah, which is why I'm worried about her, not scared shitless. He'll do what he has to do to protect her. He infiltrated the Citizens organization and began sending back reports. We tracked the group and with the information Blair sent us were even able to avert some of their missions. He contacted me shortly before you arrived to tell me she was safe and was at one of their abandoned bases." Roger called up picture on the computer screen in front of him, "This is where she is. Now what we have to do is figure out how to get her out, safely."

The men put their heads together and figured out a plan. When they were ready they had Penny round their men up and send them to the War Room for briefing.

Roger started the briefing by giving the soldiers and abbreviated version of what he had just told Duke and Flint. He then called up a picture of the Citizens base on the large screen behind him, "This is the base where the terrorist group, Citizens for a New World Order, is currently holding Scarlett captive. Our primary mission is to safely rescue her; our secondary mission is to eliminate the threat the Citizens pose. This group has the potential to become the next Cobra. There is no G.I. Joe anymore. If this group reaches that level there is no one to stop them." He let them think about that for a moment before turning the briefing over to Duke.

"Okay, you see the base is in a triangular section of the Everglades. You will be divided into three teams. Lift Ticket, you will pilot the chopper for Team One which will consist of Lift Ticket, pilot, Roger, Stalker, Life Line, two of Roger's men: Michaels and Evans, and myself. Lift Ticket, you will land in this field here." He pointed to a small field near the base. We will covertly make our way onto the base. Lift Ticket, you will let us off and then join with the pilots from teams two and three, providing air support, the rest of team one will rescue Scarlett who should be here, in what they are using as a jail." Duke indicated a building on the map.

"Team Two will be led by Flint and will consist of: Wild Bill, pilot, Lady Jaye, Shipwreck, Rip Cord, Road Block, Life Line, and Roger's man Hooper. Life Line will provide on site medical assistance if Scarlett needs it. Wild Bill, you will also provide air support, the rest of you will go around behind the base and clear us a path out with Scarlett."

"Team Three will be led by Beach Head and will consist of: Roger's man Cougar, pilot, Cover Girl, Gung Ho, Rock-n-Roll, Dusty, Sprit, and Ace. You will attack the base head on, diverting attention away from teams one and two. Cougar will let you off and then offer air support."

"Pilots, be ready to land and extract your team. As soon as Team One has Scarlett we will head back here in order to provide Scarlett with whatever medical treatment she'll need. This compound houses a doctor and a surgery, if needed."

"Any questions?" They spent the next hour going over the plan again, working out details and answering questions.

After the briefing was over the men scattered to their various tasks. Duke took

the time to speak with all the Joes who had come to help and get GH caught up on what he missed. As Penny was about to walk Gung Ho to his quarters Duke quietly pulled her aside, "Penny, I don't know what Roger told you about my relationship with Shauna…" his words tapered off, he didn't know how to ask for what he needed.

Penny smiled, "It wasn't what Roger or even Shauna said, it was what they didn't

say that let me know how she really felt about you. She was thinking about you the day Roger kidnapped her in order to bring her to you."

Duke was stunned, "How do you know?"

Penny smiled even bigger and laid a gentle hand on Duke's arm, "She needed help finding a particular pair of gold hair sticks she wanted to wear. Walk with me, let me get GH settled and then I'll show you her room. I think it might help."

Duke nodded, "It would, yes."

Unfortunately Roger didn't agree, "Over my dead body!" Roger's words were whispered so low and menacing Penny almost didn't recognize him.

Duke's frustrated anger at the whole situation was still simmering just below the surface. He knew he had to work with Roger if they were going to pull this off but something had to give. "I have every right to see where she lived Roger!"

"You have no right! I don't care what the hell you think happened between the

two of you out there but when she gets back she's not going to want you!"

Hell, Penny thought as she sent GH a look that had him nodding and slipping away. She fit Roger like a glove, she was his other half, the missing part of his soul that allowed him to do what he did and keep his sanity. She loved him and generally accepted his rough and tumble way of dealing with Shauna and her relationship with Conrad, but not tonight. If Shauna were going to be saved he would have to set aside his hostile attitude and accept Conrad Hauser as a permanent part of Shauna's life.

Penny stepped between Duke and Roger, "You are both important to her. You both love her in your own way and you both want her back. But if she is going to be rescued the two of you are going to have to get over your stupid jealousy of each other and figure out a way of working together. If you don't you'll kill her just as surely as if you pulled a trigger!"

The screaming had gathered everyone's attention and Flint and Rocker stepped in to pull their friends away before permanent damage was done.

Flint and Duke walked for a long time before they came down to the dock to watch the moon shimmer over the water. Flint let Duke watch the water for a while, allowing him time to finish calming down. "I know you're worried about her Duke, we all are. Murray is a pig and he's territorial where she's concerned. They've been through a lot together and he has a right to be worried about her." Duke was silent, making no indication that he was even listening to what his friend was saying.

"He's also a damn fine solider or we wouldn't be here right now. We'd be at ground zero with no information on where's she's been or what she's been doing all this time."

Duke slammed his fist into the dock railing, "We wasted so much damn time! Damn foolish pride, where did it get us?"

"Maybe you needed the time apart to figure out how to be together."

"Don' t get philosophical on me Dash, I'm not in the mood."

"What would you have done if you had gotten married? The two of you had no idea how to be together. If we get her back…"

Duke cut him off, "No Dash, we will get her back and we will put the pieces of our relationship back together and we'll figure out how to be together."

Duke turned and walked back toward the house with out looking at Dash. Long after everyone had settled in for the night Duke searched the compound until he found Scarlett's room on the third floor of the compound. The third floor was private and contained living quarters for Roger and Penny, Cougar, and Shauna. Everyone had a corner room and the middle space was split into kitchen, the dark room Penny, and occasionally Roger, used for personal projects, dinning area, and living area complete with a large flat screen TV he was sure could pick up any television program broadcast anywhere in the world. Shauna's room was on the southwest corner of the floor.

He stood with his back at the door for a few moments giving him time to get used to the idea of being here. He had a feeling this room was like his library out west, her private sanctuary. He took a tentative step into the room and looked around.

He could see the moon lit water of the gulf out the window opposite the door. She had an armchair angled to face the view and the Irish throw he remembered had been given to her by her grandmother was tossed over the back of the chair. He pictured her there, legs curled beneath her, coffee cup in hand, looking westward. Does she sit there and think of me? He wondered.

He walked left and ran a hand lightly over the green and blue spread she had bought at the Atlanta Celtic Festival one May when they were visiting her family. It fit better in this room than in her quarters on base. He picked up a pillow and sat on her bed taking in her scent. He knew she was still alive, he could feel the connection between them humming deep inside. As he sat looking around her room he realized he didn't really know her anymore.

She had changed, grown in different directions. He scanned the pictures on the wall, some of the smiling faces he recognized, and many he did not. She had framed landscape photographs of Ireland and cityscapes of Atlanta.

The family photographs seemed to be out of date and he recalled she said her family was used to not hearing from her. Again he wondered if their break up had anything to do with that. He searched the room for anything familiar; surely there would be more than a couple of blankets and some old photographs!

Still clutching the pillow he jumped up and ran the few steps to her dresser, spilling her jewelry box over in his haste to find something in here that would connect him to her life. He found pearl drop earrings her father had given her, they had been her mother's, and could see her in the mirror humming an Irish jig as she dressed to go out, gently threading the precious earrings through her ears. He reached out a hand to touch her and the image disappeared. He cried out in anguish, she was so close but so far away.

He dropped the pillow and stumbled to her closet. He pushed her business suits and casual clothes out of the way. And there, in the very back of her closet he found what he was looking for, her old uniform. She hadn't completely forgotten him or the Joe team. Eager to find something else, more proof that she hadn't erased him out of her life he kept going through her clothes, opening dress bags to find her regular army uniforms and a turquoise robe he had given her for the first Valentine's Day they had celebrated after they had begun spending their nights as well as their days together.

A single tear leaked out of his eye as he remembered her trying on the robe and how the color looked with her pale skin and vibrant hair. He remembered her teasing him as she took it off. As he pulled the robe out of the closet a heavy white dress bag caught his attention. The bag called to him and he pulled it out almost knowing what he would find before he opened it. He hooked the long bag on the outside of the closet door and slowly opened the bag all the way and pulled it off, shaking as he did so. With her wedding dress hanging before him he could see her wearing it, her hair pulled up at the sides, flowing down her back with large curls falling over her shoulders, the old Irish lace in the veil brushing against her mother's pearl drop earring, sending them swaying as she walked down the aisle of her family's church.

His trembling hand fell away from the dress and he backed up, his mouth opening and closing, his throat so constricted no sound would come out until his knees hit the bed and he slumped to the floor, Shauna…oh, Shauna…" the words finally getting past the lump in his throat, " I'm not gonna let them hurt you. Dammit, I'm getting you back. I have to. I can't loose you again. I just can't. Shauna, do you hear me, I love you, Shauna!" With closed fists falling to the floor beside him, he bowed his head against his chest and gave in to the heartbreaking sobs he had been holding in for so long.

And not so far away as Scarlett lay on a cold, hard, floor, drifting in and out of consciousness she dreamed of Conrad calling her name …and weakly tried to answer his call with her own… "Conrad…"


	8. Revelations

After All This Time

Chapter 8: Plan in Action

We do not own G.I. Joe. We own nothing but our imaginations.

The two men unceremoniously dropped their unconscious prisoner on the cold, hard ground of her assigned cell and slammed the door shut, trapping her in a metal cage. "Ya sure we just supposed to beat her up and leave her in a cell? That all? We can't have no fun with her 'r nothin'?"

The other man shook his head emphatically, "No man, he said to rough her up a bit and then dump her in a cell. He said we weren't supposed to touch 'er otherwise. Somethin' 'bout damaged goods don't sell."

"Who the hell he gonna sell her to? She's caused us enough trouble. I say we oughta have some fun with 'er then kill 'er. Make an example outta her, then nobody'll mess with the Citizens!"

"Orders 'r orders."

"Yeah. Ain't that the damn truth."

The two men shuffled down the hall and left their prisoner to her dreams.

Shauna dreamed of sliding on her mother's peal drop earrings as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing her wedding gown. She was getting ready to marry Conrad. But something wasn't right. He was calling her name and she could hear the tears in his voice. He never cried. She called out his name to answer but she got no reply. "Conrad…"

She drifted in and out of consciousness with no knowledge of the passing time. She surfaced occasionally for brief periods but after the kidnapping and subsequent beating her body needed rest. The first time she surfaced she thought of Conrad. Had he gotten away? Was he hurt? Did he know where she was? "Oh, God, Conrad, please be okay. Please be alive and be well and come get me so we can be together again, please." She fell asleep and dreamed strange, mixed up dreams of bitter regret.

She woke up after three days and found her head had cleared some. She was tied and had been beaten so badly it was a struggle to sit up. When she finally managed it she leaned her head against the cold metal of her cell and closed her eyes. She was weak from pain and lack of food and water. Her body hurt but the pain in her head had settled to a low throb rather than jackhammers trying to break her skull apart from the inside out. She took note of her surroundings. She had a good idea where she was and she knew it wouldn't be easy to escape on her own. But then it never was, was it? She checked for her ring and wasn't surprised to find it missing. They would have searched her and stripped her of anything and everything she could use as a weapon. The ring had probably been found during the search and stolen by the two creeps who had beat the bloody shit out of her. They had used a damn wooden board to break her ribs. Bastards! Wasn't enough that they'd shot her when they'd kidnapped her but they'd beaten her until she was unconscious! She'd kill them when she got out of here. Roger and Conrad probably knew where she was by now. And if they didn't they would know soon. She hoped Conrad was okay. She had dreamed about him at some point. Maybe that meant that he hadn't been hurt. He'd been holding his own right before they had shot her. He was fine. He was fine and he was with Roger and right this very minute they were planning on how best to get her out of here. They had to be. Any other possibility was not acceptable.

She laid back down and shut her eyes against the tears that threatened to slip from her eyes. Everything would be fine. She repeated that mantra to herself until she fell back asleep.

A murky dawn began to stream in through the windows of Shauna's room waking Conrad from his restless sleep. He stumbled up and put the room to rights before quietly walking out of the suite.

Flint found him an hour later leaning on the deck railing, staring at the churning ocean. A storm was brewing. As soon as it was over they'd go rescue Shauna. It was hard to wait. "Hey, buddy. How's it going this morning?"

Conrad looked up after a moment, "My head's on straight if that's what you want to know. It's hard to wait, Dash."

"I know. It never is. Breakfast is ready. You need to eat."

Conrad snorted, "Did Allison send you out to tell me that?"

Flint grinned, "No, she sent me out here to remind you of why you need to eat. I told her you were reasonably intelligent and could remember that on your own but she insisted you needed to be prodded."

"She's probably right. Brooding isn't going to help anything right now."

"Come on, buddy, let's get something to eat."

Conrad and Roger did a great job of ignoring each other for most of breakfast. It was a silent, gloomy affair until Shipwreck and some of the Joes decided to swap humorous Scarlett stories to keep their spirits up. Stalker was in the middle of a particularly humorous tale when one of Roger's men walked in with a message for Roger. The table fell silent.

"Sir, Mr. Patrick O'Hara is on the telephone."

Roger's face froze and he immediately paled, "I'll take it upstairs."

Patrick O'Hara was like a second father to Roger. He had mentored Roger in the martial arts and had welcomed Roger as a sullen teenager into the O'Hara family, giving him a place to belong when he had desperately needed one. Roger had in turn been the best son he could be and repaid the love and affection of his new family with a fierce since of loyalty. He tried to think of what to tell Patrick on the way up the stairs. Patrick would disown him after this conversation. Roger figured he'd be lucky if that was all that happened.

Roger took a deep breath when he walked into his bedroom rubbed his thumb over a picture of a teenage Shauna. "Wish me luck, cuz." Then he picked up the telephone.

Penny stayed through breakfast and got everyone busy doing chores and checking equipment so they would be ready as soon as the storm lifted. When she thought Roger had had enough time alone she went up to him to offer what comfort she could.

Shauna and Roger had a very unique bond. The bond had been hard won and cherished from the moment it had formed. In a way they had saved each other and helped each other become the people they were today. Shauna and Roger had walked through hell and back for each other more than once. Now Shauna needed him and Roger couldn't get to her. That was tearing him apart.

"Hey." Penny whispered softly when she walked into their room.

"Hey." Roger answered back, his voice rough and broken through his tears.

She sat down beside him on the bed and put her arms around him, hugging him close. He kept staring at a picture of Shauna he was holding in his hand.

"This is my favorite picture of her." Roger said, rubbing a thumb over the frame. "She'd beat me in a state competition and had this big grin plastered on her face for days and a glint in her eye that told you she could handle anything you threw her way.

"Except she didn't handle this." He began crying again in earnest, his shoulders shook and he had to struggle to get the last words out. "It's all my fault, Penny, I knew she was in danger. I should have just grabbed her and taken her to him. I knew he wouldn't refuse to help her. If I had they would have had a head start and maybe she wouldn't be in a damn cell alone on an island with a bunch of terrorists who are gonna try and kill her."

She grabbed his face in her hands and made him look at her, "Roger Murray. You are not God! You could not have known what was going to happen! You cannot control everything!"

"I failed her Penny. She's my best friend and I failed her."

"Oh, Roger, honey, you didn't fail her, you could never fail her." She wrapped her arms around him and held him as tightly as she could and he let the guilt and pain and desperation wash over him.

Conrad had followed closely behind Penny, wanting to know what Roger had said to Patrick. He hadn't expected Roger to be overcome by emotions. Hell, Roger hadn't shown anything other than a mild concern for Shauna and an outright disgust for him. He had always avoided getting to know Roger or delving into Roger's relationship with Shauna. Jealousy had been easier to deal with than understanding or accepting Shauna's friendship with Roger. She had constantly accused him of finding fault with Roger. Conrad was ready to admit that most of the problem he had with Roger stemmed from jealousy. She'd told him over and over that her relationship with Roger was familial and not romantic. He just hadn't been able to accept that. Conrad shook his head as he walked quietly away, allowing Roger and Penny privacy. If he were going to have a successful relationship with Shauna he was going to have to accept Roger in her life, starting now.

Shauna woke to the sounds of a furious storm pounding the building. Mother nature had apparently decided her rescue could be put off a bit. Shauna carefully sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees, once more leaning her head against the wall. Storms always made her think of her brother Frank. She'd been terrified of storms as a child and Frank had always known how to comfort her. She had isolated herself from a lot of people she cared about in the past five years.

But Frank hurt the most. She and Conrad had made up, well had started to anyways. She could mend the distance she had put between herself and Roger easily. But Frank she didn't know about. She had hurt him badly. They'd always been close. When she'd been scared or lonely as a child it was Frank she'd gone to. It had been Frank who'd comforted her when she grieved. Frank who'd tended to her scraped knees and cheered her on at every competition. Frank who'd explained how storms were made to help her overcome her fear of them and had still held her when his sketchy explanation hadn't helped. And it was Frank, her hero, her big brother, whom she'd barely spoken to in five years. He was yet another casuality of her broken engagement and, she was beginning to realize, her own fears and inflexibility.

She had come home to Atlanta hoping time with her family would help her heal and find a new direction. Instead of the sympathy and understanding she had expected to receive she had found confusion and a firm insistence that if she didn't make up with Conrad she would be throwing her life away.

The family had been gathered at Frank's house for a Sunday afternoon barbeque. She was wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, her typical summer uniform. She had taken burgers and hotdogs out to Frank for him to grill. "Hey, I brought the food and a drink for the chef."

Frank grinned as she handed him a tall glass of tea, "Thanks, Shauna." He took a long drink and turned to her, "Listen, I've been meaning to talk to you."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "About what?" she spit out

"Oh, I don't know how about your life."

"It's mine and I'll live it the way I want to." She slammed the plate of food down and started to walk back towards the house.

"Stop acting like a spoiled child."

She whirled around and narrowed her eyes at him, yelling, "I am not acting like a child, spoiled or otherwise!"

"Then why haven't you called him?" He grabbed her when she tried to storm off, "I'm bringing this up for your own good, Shauna, I'm trying to help you."

"I don't want your help! The engagement is over! It wouldn't have worked

anyway!"

She tried to break free but he held her firmly and turned her to look at him, "Yes it would have. You love him, Shauna and damn it, girl, he loves you to. Marriage is big and scary and if it doesn't scare the shit out of you it should! It's the biggest damn promise you ever make and when you make it you make it forever. I've never known you to ever back down from something important because you're scared. You're the bravest person I know, Shauna, you need to find your courage and call him. Beg him to come back if that's what it takes but you need him in your life. If you don't you're throwing away your best chance of happiness and you're only chance at love."

She hadn't cared that tears were streaming down her face; she hadn't cared if deep down she knew he was right, she couldn't admit to herself that she had been scared so she did the only thing she had thought she could do and that was run away. "What the fucking hell do you know Frank? You think you can stand here and judge me? Tell me what's right and what's wrong? You can't! Love doesn't solve everything and you're a damned fool if you think it does!"

She slapped his face and ran to the house to get her keys. The next day she was in Florida with Penny and Roger. She had cried non-stop for two days and had slept away two more before she put her entire relationship with Conrad Hauser behind her and moved on with her life. Except she hadn't really moved on at all.

The storm raged overhead and Shauna gave into bitter tears of regret. She squeezed her eyes shut against that painful memory. Oh, Frank. She thought, I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you. She cried herself to sleep thinking about all the regrets she had and everything she would do once she got out of here.

Shauna woke to the sound of her cell door being opened. A man loomed in the opening, silhouetted by lightening flashing across the open windows, "I'm here to help you." He whispered across the darkness.

Shauna sat up slowly, "Oh, it's you."


	9. Plan in Action

After All This Time

Chapter 9: Plan in Action

We do not own G.I. Joe. We own nothing but our imaginations.

Cougar watched as Ace scooped up another handful of chips and shook his head. He was a decent poker player but if the game kept going this way he'd loose his paycheck to Ace and Wild Bill before the afternoon was up. He glanced out the window as another hand was dealt. It was a way to pass the time. The tropical storm that had arrived just behind the Joes was mostly gone but the weather was still bad enough to force them to put the rescue mission on hold.

Everyone was anxious, tense and waiting for the weather to lift just enough for them to leave. Scarlett was an hour away, going through only God knew what while they were sitting here, twiddling their damn thumbs! He sighed and returned his attention to the game. It was better than pretending to read or staring out at the churning ocean.

Duke stared at the gray sky and whipping waves. He'd come out here shortly after Shauna's dad called. Roger had joined him for a while before heading up to the command center. They'd talked and had called a temporary peace he hoped would last. Roger was back in his command center, a dozen monitors displaying everything from weather conditions to the satellite images of the island Scarlett was on. The very moment it was safe to fly they'd leave.

They had considered and ruled out the possibility of sea travel, the weather being too unstable. They wouldn't be any good to her if they drowned before they got to her. If the weather didn't break soon they would be forced to put off the rescue until tomorrow. Roger didn't think it would come to that and after being out here for several hours, Duke had to agree. The weather was calming, slowly, but it was calming. They should be able to leave in a few hours. Until then he would stay where he was, turning things over in his head.

This whole situation bothered him. Things had happened too quickly for his peace of mind. How had the terrorists known where to find her? His training facility was one of the best-kept secrets in the military. Only a handful of people actually knew where it was located. He and Roger had spent hours going back over their tracks, looking for some way they had messed up and left a trail for the terrorists to follow. They had found none. Roger and Cougar had covered their tracks coming to and from the training facility. They had done a complete and thorough search of Roger's compound and the training facility. Again, they had come up with nothing to indicate the terrorists had known where Scarlett had gone once she'd "disappeared" from Florida. But somehow they had known.

There was another angle he was missing. He'd figure it out; he just hoped he figured it out in time. He looked over his shoulder as Flint came out on the deck. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself. You've been out here a long time."

Duke stood up and nodded, "I've been thinking about how everything played out and there are a few things that bother me."

"Such as?"

"It was too easy to find her for one. We knew almost immediately where she was and who had her."

"You're right, things did happen quickly. You've been over everything step by step until you've got everything memorized. Take a step back, Duke, give it some time to percolate. You'll figure it out."

One of Roger's radio men interrupted them before they could get any deeper in their discussion, "Duke, Roger needs you in the radio room ASAP. There's been another transmission from Blair."

"Tell him I'm on my way."

"Yes, sir."

Duke turned to Flint, "Just keep your guard up."

"Always."

He'd been in Roger's radio room several times over the past few days but the sight never failed to impress him. The set up would make any communications officer drool. "What have we got, Roger?"

Roger turned around briefly to acknowledge Duke's presence and immediately went back to work at the keyboards he was standing in front of, "Audio only, I'm cleaning it up now."

Blair's nervous transmission began to play over the speakers, "Time is running out. The auction is scheduled for tonight! You've got to hurry or you'll be too late!"

Roger played the transmission a second time and turned to frown at Duke, "The guy's a nervous wreck!"

"Yeah, I don't like that either. What's the weather doing?"

"Lucky for us I think we're about to catch a break. The current storm system is fizzling out." Roger called up a weather map on the main screen and zoomed out. Their current location and the island Scarlett was on were highlighted, "Another storm system is forming not far from the Citizen's island. If we leave quickly we should have enough time to rescue her and get her back here before the next storm hits."

"Everyone's ready, If the weather is cooperating I say let's go for it."

Roger grinned, "I agree. It's time to go rescue our girl." Roger hit a button on the control panel and an alarm began to blare shrilly throughout the compound. "After you, Hauser."

Magazines were dropped, televisions and stereos were left blaring, sandwiches were dropped half eaten onto plates. Suddenly everyone was moving, grabbing gear, rushing to the meeting room.

Wild Bill threw down his cards and threw his hat in the air, "Woo Hooo! Hang on darlin', we're on our way!"

People shoved their way into the cramped meeting room and listened while Duke and Roger recapped the plan of action.

Duke turned on the computer and pointed to a projection of a building in the Citizens compound, "This is where Scarlett is being held." The screen flashed and the map zoomed out, showing a satellite view of the compound. "Lift Ticket will land Team One in this small field behind the base. We will attempt a covert rescue while Team Two comes behind us to clear a way out and Team Three provides a distraction by attacking the base head-on. You all know your assignments; any last minute questions?"

The room was silent and Roger continued the briefing, "Good. Remember, our primary goal is to rescue Scarlett. When she's in the chopper Life Line and Stalker will accompany her back to base. The rest of us will shut down the Citizens once and for all. Now, grab your gear and load up. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!"

Penny wished Roger a passionate good luck and stood on the tarmac watching until they were out of sight. She repeated to herself, "They'll be fine; with the Joes, they'll be unstoppable," as she watched them fade out of sight.

Duke replayed Blair's transmission through his mind while the chopper flew toward the island. He had assumed Blair had abruptly gone undercover two years after he had graduated training. They had kept in touch until then and suddenly Blair dropped off the face of the earth. It bothered him that Blair had apparently left the military at that time and then went to work for Scarlett, his ex-fiancé, all without telling him. He'd been the best trainee to ever graduate from the training school. He had been exemplary and would have secured a place with the G.I. Joe team had the team still been operational. He had confidence that Blair would keep Scarlett as safe as possible until he got there.

Shauna did her best to look relaxed, not an easy thing to do when a girl had several broken ribs and was more black and blue than anything else.

"You don't seem surprised to see me."

She rolled her eyes, "Maybe that's because I'm not."

The man narrowed his eyes; this wasn't going the way he'd planned, "Think you have everything figured out don't you? Sitting there acting all pompous and cool, you're probably thinking you're going to be rescued aren't you? Well you're not!" He sneered

"What, you don't think the leader of G.I. Joe and the best private security agent in the world will figure out where I am? Ha! You're not that clever."

"You don't think so?" He smiled slowly, "It might interest you to know that your precious ex-fiancé won't be coming to rescue you this time. It's all your fault you know. If you had just kept your nose out of other people's business he'd still be alive."

She froze, her breath caught in her throat. He enjoyed watching the shock play across her face

"Oh yes, he's dead. Cold and dead before you even woke up in this cell. I didn't need him anymore. He'd played right into my hands, bringing you to his 'oh so secure training school' where I could conveniently kidnap you. So much easier than trying to abduct you with your silly partner following you around everywhere. Of course if you'd been half the fighter you think you are you could have saved him but you couldn't and now he's dead…" He dropped down so they were eye to eye, whispering "…and it's all your fault."

He stood up and whistled out the door, relishing in her large fearful eyes, so gallantly trying to hold back tears. This was a great day.

She stared, unseeing at the bars of her cell door for a long time after he left. She'd half expected for him to tell her all that. What else would break her spirit faster? A prisoner with a broken spirit was so much easier to deal with than a prisoner who would put up a fight, broken body or not. She leaned her head slowly down on her up drawn knees and shut her eyes tight. She would know if he were dead. Time and distance didn't matter, she would know if he were dead. But it didn't hurt to have that jackass think she believed him. Why the hell was he toying with her? If he wanted her dead why hadn't he just killed her? What was he waiting for? She opened her eyes; maybe the question should be who was he waiting for?

Lift Ticket settled the chopper on the ground and flashed a thumbs-up as Duke and Roger led their men silently towards the building where Scarlett was being held. Lift Ticket lifted off and circled around to provide air support for the frontal attack.

The back door to the jail was bathed in weak yellow light coming from a single bulb hanging over the door. Roger's man, Evans, shot the light, sending the surrounding area into total darkness. Sounds of battle reached them from the front of the compound. Their distraction was in place, now all they had to do was get Scarlett and get the hell out. Roger and Duke moved to flank the door and exchanged a wary glance as Roger tested the door and found it unlocked. On the signal the door was flung open and they swept the room. Nothing. Nothing and No one. Five cells lined the left wall of the large room. The right wall was empty with the exception of a line of narrow windows running along the ceiling. All the cells were empty.

"Damn!" Roger cursed softly, "They've moved her."

Stalker shook his head, "Something's not right. It was too easy to get in here."

Duke nodded in agreement, "You're right. Keep your guard up everyone. Stalker, radio teams two and three, tell them be on guard, Scarlett's been moved."

The rest of them went through the room a second time, finding traces of blood in one of the cells. When Stalker had contacted the others they continued their search.

They were in the main hallway when the attack came, one second they were in an empty hallway and the next they were taking heavy fire. Roger yanked Duke behind him, "Circle around behind us and find another way up. Get Shauna. We'll take care of these idiots and meet you when we're done. Now, Go!"

Roger hadn't given him a choice so Duke circled back and mentally calculated where he was in the building and how he could get to the next floor. He made his way up one floor at a time, searching every room for a clue as to where she might be. He found nothing, no prisoner, no guards, nothing. He knew something wasn't right. They had been set up.

He continued moving, searching, and went over everything he knew about their situation trying to figure out why someone had gone to such lengths to set them up. Why? And Who? Cobra had been defeated six years ago. The Joes had disbanded. Why her? Why Scarlett? Why wouldn't Blair have given me or Roger a head's up? If they had been set up how had Blair not known? Why had he been so nervous during the last message? Blair hadn't mentioned anything beyond the urgency of Scarlett's rescue. He had wanted Duke and the others to get to the island as quickly as possible. Blair had been the best of the best, he had trusted Blair with his life, but if this was a set up, and it obviously was, Blair had to have known about it. He hated to even think what that said about Blair. What the hell had happened to him to turn him into a traitor?

Scarlett swam towards consciousness, disoriented by her new surroundings; she could hear the sounds of a battle going on below and smiled weakly. 'Finally. They're here. Give 'em hell boys!'

She was sitting up, much in the same position she had been the last time he'd come to torment her. 'What now?' she wondered 'He's already tried the whole "Duke is dead" routine, what else does he think he has up his sleeve?'

He'd gotten a lot of pleasure from her reaction to the news that her precious Duke was dead. He wondered what kind of reaction he could get out of her this time. He rubbed his hands together with glee. Who knew she'd be such an easy target!

"Wakey, wakey!" He called to get her attention but she wouldn't look at him. Did she think she could play it cool with him? Ha! He'd fix her. He unlocked the cell and came in, kneeling down and jerking her face towards his, "Do you hear that? Do you know what that noise is? That's the sound of you're friends dying! They walked into my trap without a second thought! They'll all be dead in a matter of time."

Before she could react one of his men rushed in, panicked, "They broke through the line! And they've sent for reinforcements!"

A look of complete and utter shock crossed his face, "Shut up! Shut up!" He waved his hands in the air

Scarlett started to laugh and looked up, "Gee, you must not have listened to anything in terrorist school! You really suck at this!"

"Bitch!" He leaned down, drew his arm back, and punched with as much force as he could manage. He grinned when she slumped to the floor, unconscious again, and walked out laughing to himself. " I didn't suck at that, did I?"

Duke paused; he had heard Scarlett's voice! He stood silent for several seconds, listening. When he heard nothing he sent a brief radio message to the others and began to move in the direction her voice had come from. Flint's team had joined with Roger's team and had the terrorists on the run. They would make a way out now that they knew Duke had found Scarlett. Beach Head's team had fought and dealt with the terrorists that had met their attack and were now rounding up the stragglers. Duke had no doubt they would have any spare terrorists rounded up by the time he rescued Scarlett.

Duke paused at the door; he could see Scarlett lying on the floor. He ground his teeth together in an effort to stay calm. He could tell she was hurt, how bad he didn't know, but he would repay the bastards in full when he found them. It was a trap, he knew that, but he couldn't leave her lying there and he couldn't wait for help. All he could do was tread carefully and get the hell out of this place when he had her.

He kept his gun ready; he was as prepared as he could be as he approached her cell. He called her name softly, hoping she was just asleep and not unconscious. "Scarlett…" No answer. Damn! He lightly brushed her face, "Shauna…"

Calling her name was the last thing he did before a pain exploded in his head and he slumped down beside her, unconscious.


	10. Consumed by Pride

After All This Time

Chapter 10: Consumed by Pride

We do not own G.I. Joe. We own nothing but our imaginations.

Blair paced the nearly empty room, impatiently making circles around the cage, waiting for Duke to wake up. He grinned; his plan was going along so smoothly! He had planned everything so meticulously yet he was still surprised that everything had gone exactly to plan, no deviations, all the players in his little game doing what he wanted them to do, just like actor in a play. He stopped and his grin became larger, just like puppets! He liked that better; he was the puppet master and controlled everyone! Now if Duke would just wake up! He had sent the guards away earlier, having no need of them now. He could handle the vaunted Sergeant Master all on his own.

Duke swam towards consciousness, reaching for her, hoping that he was wrong, that they hadn't moved her again. He wasn't surprised when his arm hit empty air. Damn! He had been so close.

"She's not there." A familiar voice sang out

Duke struggled to place the voice as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He saw Scarlett and jerked up and grabbed a hold of the bars of his cell, his knuckles turning white. She was tied to a chair across the room. Her body was limp, her head hanging down, and her hair that had long since fallen out of her habitual ponytail, was covering her face.

He gritted his teeth, "What the hell have you done to her, you bastard?"

"Tisk, tisk, tisk, such strong words coming from someone in a cage." He laughed, the sound not quite sounding sane. "Did you think you could get away? Did you think you could get your one true love and escape before I got you? Ha! You always underestimated me!" He screamed

Duke eyed his nemesis, finally being able to slide all the pieces of the puzzle into place, "My mistake. I should have realized Blair, the real Blair, would never have turned traitor. What did you do with him, Hunter?"

Hunter chuckled. "Bravo, bravo!" he said sarcastically "So you finally figured it out, did you? A plan so simple even a child could have figured things out before you did! The great Conrad Hauser, the darling of the military, how embarrassed they would be of you falling into my trap right from the beginning. I killed your golden boy, destroyed your precious training facility, kidnapped the love of your life, and now I have you, helpless, to do with you what I please."

As Hunter came closer Duke could recognize the slight physical differences that Hunter had from Blair. A crooked nose, a few extra scars, the eyes were even a half a shade off from Blair's vivid green. But all in all, if you didn't know both men well, or all you had was a photograph, they looked amazingly alike for two men who were unrelated and so vastly different in personality. "So how did you do it? How did you, the only one who ever washed out of my training program, managed to kill Ronald Blair, the single best solider I ever trained?"

"Easy!" Blair grinned, "He was an idiot like you!" He started to laugh hysterically. "He never saw it coming! I followed him for two years, watching him, learning everything about him, the way he walked, the way he carried himself, every nuance, every nauseating detail, and let me tell you, the man was a drag! Such a self-righteous boring stick-in-the-mud! No wonder he was your golden boy!"

"You followed Blair for two years and he never noticed? I doubt that! What really happened?"

"I had been following Blair for two years when he finished his current assignment, and he took some time off to figure out what he wanted to do next. I "ran in to him" one night at a bar. I bought him a few drinks, told him a sob story, and he bought it, the whole story, felt sorry for me, he even told me he'd make a few phone calls on my behalf, see if he could get me some work." Hunter rolled his eyes, "Did he want to be you or what? He thought he was the new Duke. I put a little something "extra" in his drink and offered to help him back to his place since he was feeling a little under the weather. All it took was a quick jab with my knife in the right place and that was that."

Duke snorted, "Couldn't do it man to man could you? Had to be a cheap shot, didn't it? You couldn't have taken him any other way and you knew it."

"How I did it doesn't matter!" he screamed, "All that matters is that I did! I killed your golden boy and no one was the wiser! Not you, not Roger Murray, the best private security agent in the world, not even your ex-finance. I was always better than you. That's why you kicked me out! Because you couldn't handle it! You couldn't stand knowing that someone was better than you were! So you ruined my dreams! You destroyed my future! And now, I'm going to destroy yours!"

"Hunter, it wasn't that I was jealous, it was because you didn't have it. You still don't have what it takes. You can't think of just your self. And you do, you always have, you're always looking out for number one. And when you do that you're as good as blind!" Duke's attention wavered from Hunter for a split second, and he smiled, "And if you were really as good as you think you are, you would have seen this coming." Duke pointed behind Hunter and watched as Hunter turned.

Hunter had enough time to be shocked when he saw Scarlett's fist coming straight at him. Her fist connected with his face and sent him flying against the bars of the cell. Duke reached through the bars and grabbed him, wrapping an arm around his throat, and whispered in his ear, "I was never the best…she was."

Duke snapped Hunter's neck and let the body slump to floor. He reached for Scarlett and hugged her as close as he could through the bars of the cell.

"I'm ok." She said, kissing Duke lightly on the lips, "He was such a dumb ass, he couldn't even tie a knot right!"

Roger burst in, weapons ready, Life Line right behind him, "Well, I guess you don't need my help after all. Good to see you Baby Cakes."

She smiled, "Likewise." She allowed Life Line to bring the chair to her and help her sit down as Roger fished out the key to the cell and unlocked the door. She motioned for Life Line to wait for a moment and gingerly stood up and reached out to slam Roger in the cell with Duke. She grinned, "Now, I think I'll just leave the two of you in there until you can stop acting like children and get along."

Roger and Duke looked at each other strangely and turned to her, "We already have!" They said at the same time and started laughing

"Well, alright then." Scarlett said, and she sat back in the chair and started to laugh herself, stopping and grabbing her ribs when her body protested.

Life Line looked on clueless, "What's so funny?"

Scarlett smiled at him, "Family joke."

Roger radioed everyone to tell them Scarlett was ok and a cheer went up throughout the compound. "We'll finish mopping everything up here and wait for the authorities while you take our girl back to the compound and get her checked out."

At Scarlett's grimace he turned to her, "And I mean it, Baby Cakes, the docs are waiting to take you to the hospital wing as soon as you land. And Duke will make sure you behave!"

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. Let's get it over with then."

The next day Scarlett hardly had a moment to herself. All her friends from the Joe team and from the agency made it a point to come by, even if only for a few minutes. She'd spoken with her dad and brothers and even started to patch things up with Frank.

It wasn't until that evening that Duke finally kicked everyone out so they could have some time to themselves. He shut the door and turned to face her. He just looked at her for a moment until she raised her brow at him. "God I love you." He went to her and gently sat down on the bed beside her.

"Well that's good to know. You're not so bad yourself." She looked at him, "You're not going to get all serious and depressing now are you?"

"Who me? Never! But even it I did, don't you think I'm entitled."

"We worked everything out while we were at your ranch. You love me, I love you, the rest is just details. Now, Sgt. Hauser, are you going to marry me or am I going to have to make you?"

He laughed and kissed her, "Whatever you say, Baby Cakes!"

"Hey! You can't call me that, only Roger is allowed to call me that and only on special occasions."

"How 'bout I just call you mine."

She smiled, "I can live with that."


	11. Epilouge

After All This Time

By Romancing the Joes

Epilogue

After All This Time-The fic is finally finished! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and supported us throughout the last FOUR years! We hope you enjoy this as much as we have!

We do not own G.I. Joe. We own nothing but our imaginations.

Shauna listened to the door close behind her friends. They were getting ready to take their places. In a few moments her father would knock on the door and walk her down the aisle, as she would finally become Mrs. Conrad Hauser.

As she looked in the mirror she let her mind wander down the path that had led her to this moment. She thought of the first time she had met Conrad. Stalker had been the one meet her when she reported for duty as the G. I. Joe team was first forming. Duke had been on assignment and hadn't gotten back until a day later. She was eating breakfast with Stalker, Wild Bill, and Gung Ho when he walked in. Stalker introduced them and all she could think was 'Damn! He is so gorgeous, too bad we're going to be working together.' She smiled. The attraction had been mutual and they'd held their handshake for a fraction of a second longer than strictly necessary. They'd become friends, working side by side and eventually becoming partners.

The attraction had only grown since their first meeting and it eventually became so intense that people, namely Ace, had begun taking bets on how long they'd pretend to be 'just friends'. They had laughed about it at first but eventually Duke worked up his nerve to ask her out on a date. She was scared about taking their relationship to that level but she had known they wouldn't be able to remain friends much longer with the chemistry so powerful between them.

It had been cute when he'd fumbled his way through asking her out that first time. The big bad G.I. Joe leader couldn't even ask a girl he liked out on a date with out stuttering and repeating his words! He'd taken a fair amount of flake over that but it had been worth it. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life when she opened the door that night wearing a beautiful blue dress. She'd worn her hair up and when she walked the dress swung around knees. Maybe it hadn't been love at first sight but it had sure been lust! They'd had dinner and had danced a good bit afterwards. The restaurant had had a cozy dance floor and a wonderful band that played slow songs, a perfect excuse to hold each other close. They'd laughed about their kiss coming on their first date but they'd been dancing, and by the end of the night she had been in his arms and they had swayed more than danced because they were so caught up in each other they couldn't even hear the music. It had been a light kiss, at least at first. It could have gotten out of hand, the potential had been there but whatever was going on between the two of them was way too important to rush. So they'd settled for a few light kisses and had one brief but smoldering kiss when he left her at her door.

She brought her fingers to her lips. There had been plenty of kisses since then but few as memorable as that first kiss.

About two and half years later he'd taken her back to that same restaurant. This time he'd proposed. She laughed quietly. She'd been the only one who hadn't seen it coming! There had been bets placed on when they'd get engaged but not a single bet as to whether or not she'd accept his proposal. That, they'd said, had been a given. This time the night had ended a lot differently.

She frowned; they were so good together until they'd gotten engaged. It had taken them both some time to get used to the idea. They knew they wanted to spend the rest of lives together but having it official had made them nervous. There were so many things that could go wrong in a marriage and they loved each other so much. There had been so much to loose. That had been their problem, she thought. They'd concentrated too much on what they could loose and not what they could gain. The fight that had ended them had once again been about a loss. This time, the loss of their team. The news had come down that the Joe team was to be disbanded, having defeated Cobra and other major terrorist groups; the Army felt they had become obsolete. With new administration always came new philosophies. She closed her eyes when she thought about the words they'd hurled at each other. She shook her head; she had thrown more than words at him. She finished off a spectacular temper tantrum by flinging her engagement ring at his head and declaring that she never wanted to see him again-ever. She had really wanted him to come after her and promise that everything would work out all right. When he didn't, she had been beyond hurt.

It had taken a terrorist bent on revenge to bring them back together. She'd known since she saw him in that dusty canyon that her life was about to change yet again. She opened her eyes and smiled at her reflection. This time it had changed for the better. After they'd dealt with the terrorist and her much-worried friends they'd found some time to be alone and had sorted out their future. She had actually proposed to him after he'd shooed their friends out of her hospital room. She grinned when she recalled what she had said to him, "Now, Sgt. Hauser, are you gonna marry me or am I gonna have to make you?"

Later that night they'd committed their lives to each other, just the two of them and God. She had been married since that night; all of this today was just making it legal. And there was no way her father was letting his only daughter get married without a fuss.

And speaking of her father, a knock sounded on the door. "Shauna, darlin' , it's time."

She stood up, grabbed her flowers, and opened the door to her father. He smiled at her with tears gleaming in his eyes. "Ah, my little girl. You are so beautiful it nearly breaks my heart."

"Are you happy for me daddy?"

"Oh, darlin' I think if I were any happier I'd burst!"

"Well, let's not have that."

He offered her his arm, "Let's not leave Conrad waiting any longer."

"I love you daddy." She kissed his cheek and slipped her arm through his as the door swung open and she could see Conrad waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

As she walked towards him she was amused by the sight of all her Joe friends dressed in their finery. A few, Beach Head in particular, were squirming. Believe it or not, Shipwreck had tears in his eyes. She didn't know if it was because he got caught up in the moment, or he finally realized he didn't have a chance with her anymore! Not that he ever had.

Conrad looked up and after that she only saw him. Everyone else disappeared as she walked steadily towards him. She couldn't remember a moment when she'd been so happy, or so scared. But she knew that this was the best thing she could ever do. She went through the ceremony on automatic pilot. When the priest pronounced them man and wife, Conrad kissed her, and the church erupted in cheers. After all this time, their life finally began.


End file.
